Harry Potter and the Lost One's Soul
by Atren
Summary: One year after the defeat of Voldemort we find Ron and Hermione are married; Harry and Ginny engaged, and the trio has just received letters of approval for Auror testing. Harry, however, has also gotten a curious letter saying Dumbledore wants to see him
1. Chapter 1: The 3rd Letter

RJH

HP and B fanfic

"Ron! Get Pig out of the kitchen!" yelled Hermione as she tried to help Kreacher cover the soup from being filled with feathers from the hyper owl.

"I'm _trying! _But the blasted bird won't slow-Gotcha, ya little bugger!" Cried Ron as he grabbed Pigwidgeon who was as hyper as ever and flying around the kitchen delighted at successfully delivering his letters. He hooted happily as another owl, a snowy white, flew through the window.

"Harry, Sirius brought you some mail!" Hermione called up the stairs. Seconds later Harry apperated into the kitchen, nearly tipping over Ron who was standing on a chair trying to wrench the letters from his fist without letting go of his hyper owl.

"Bloody hell Harry, use the stairs!" Cried Ron as he accio'd a pillow to cushion his fall.

"Sorry." Said Harry distractedly as he reached for the mail his new owl was carrying. Harry looked fondly into his owl's eyes; he remembered the day he had gone to Eeylops Owl Emporium to look for an owl to replace Hedwig. Harry had been very surprised to find another snowy owl that not only looked like Hedwig but had a similar personality as well. He was even more surprised to find that the owl was newly hatched from a wild clutch that had been found in the attic of Number 12 Grimwald Place. (The Fiddelus charm had been removed after the war because there was no longer a need to hide, of course muggle neighbors memories had to be modified and charms placed to ensure muggles curious about a house that had randomly appeared would not go notifying police or ask questions. Simple work for Hermione really.) After doing some hereditary potions, Harry found that Hedwig was the mother of this beautiful snowy owl whom he had dubbed Sirius after his godfather. Harry was, to say the least, overjoyed.

Harry took the mail from Sirius and gave him an owl treat. Sirius nipped him on the finger affectionately, like Hedwig used to, and flew out the window into the dark to hunt mice. The escaped Pigwidgeon soon followed after. Harry looked through the mail and set aside the three letters to look at the Daily Prophet, which had arrived late.

"Ron, Hermione, come look at this." Said Harry showing them the latest headline.

Attack at Ministry 

Death Eaters Attack Ministry By Means of Hexes and Potions Concealed in Newspapers, Letters, and Packages.

Pandemonium ensued at the Ministry today when workers

opened their mail this morning. Many were covered in boils,

rashes, and burns. More severe cases contained hexes causing

blindness, tentacle growth, transformation onto chickens, uncontrolled

legilimency, loss of hair, bone melting, loss of limbs, replacement of

limbs with objects or other body parts, and other such calamities.

There were no casualties, though the mediwizards are having some

trouble transfiguring some of the patients back to their original state.

Aurors are attempting to use tracing charms on the letters to

track down the culprits. Death Eaters are suspected. All owls were

intercepted today and checked for curses, charms, and other

harmful magic. Continued on B12.

"Well, it seems some people haven't been informed that the war is over…" said Hermioine angrily.

"Or they're just gits." Said Ron as Harry grinned and picked up the letters.

"Oh! A letter from Hagrid!"

"C'mon! Open it!" Said Ron impatiently.

"Yes, Harry, open it!" said Hermione encouragingly. Harry slit the letter open as slowly as he could and took the letter out.

_**Dear Harry, Ron, and Hermione,**_

_**Grawp and I are still at Hogwarts, we still have a bunch of work to do to clean up from the battle. Filch and me have been working without stop for 3 days. Grawp is really helping move the big trees and bushes that fell, he's also helping to rebuild the parts of the castle that got knocked over by Argog's children and the giants. I think the Ministry might be looking to move some of them. I really don't understand why they would try to hurt us here. Anyway, Grawp pulls the bigger stones out of the ground when levitatin charms aren't stRong enough. Everyone here is pitchin in. School should be back to normal before next year, and everyone that got hurt should be back on their feet inna couple a months. Oh, Dumbledore's portrait told me to tell you that you should come to Hogwarts before you leave. He was going on about some third letter of Harry's, and Ron and Hermione's own letters. He said something about training and some old friend of his. He also said he wants to see you before you go, and McGonagall would want to congratulate you. Hope you will all stop by when you come here.**_

Hagrid 

"What's that about?" asked Ron.

"I think it means that we should wait until after Harry has read his second letter to open our letters." Said Hermione wisely. Harry grabbed the second letter and opened it.

Harry James Potter

Your so called Ministry of Magic has informed that you have defeated this Volemor person, we congratulate you on your luck boy and hope that we can move back into our home and that you will stay out of our lives. We also hope we will not be forced to do anything by you or your kind anymore.

Vernon Dursley.

Ps. Dudley says hi.

Pss. Send your answer by regular mail or get another ruddy bird! This one nearly ruined our reputation by flying into our house in broad daylight! It nearly scratched our new sofa, if it ruins anything you will be paying for it boy, mark my words!

"Well that was bloody nice of them. So, are you going to tell them they can move back?" asked Ron.

"No, they can't. If they do they will probably be killed by rouge Death Eaters." Said Harry.

"They would deserve it after what they put you through!" Cried Ron.

"Ron! That's a horrible thing to say, you're basically saying they should be killed, and if Harry went through with that he might as well have killed them himself!" Said Hermione angrily as Ron paled and Harry nodded. "But I have to agree with Ron on one part," Hermione pointed out turning to Harry, "they were absolutely horrid to you." Harry nodded.

"They still let me stay in their house… and Dudley is getting somewhat more understanding…sortof. Besides, if I did that I'd be just as bad as a Death Eater, and I don't want to be like them." Hermione and Ron nodded in understanding and hugged their friend.

"Well, on a brighter side, I have some good news." Said Hermione smiling.

"What?" asked Harry and Ron together.

"Take a look at this." Hermione held up another part of the Daily Prophet that she had been looking at while Harry and Ron were finishing reading the section about the Ministry, she had, of course, finished reading before them.

Dolores Umbridge on Trial.

Dolores Umbridge is being charged with threatening to use an

Unforgivable Curse (Cruciatus) on a student while teaching at Hogwarts.

The student she was threatening was none other than Harry Potter.

She is also being accused of ordering dementors on Mr. Potter

and his muggle family over the summer. Another charge include physical

torture of students while at Hogwarts, by use of a quill that used

ones blood as ink, leaving cuts on the hands in the

form of the lines the target was told to writ. It seems

that this was also used on Mr. Potter as well as some other students

during the year. Other charges are being made about her work ethics at

the ministry. Trial will take place Jan 21. Continued on pg 8B.

"About time someone arrested her." Harry said angrily. Hermione looked at him and patted his back while Ron fumed grinned happily at the paper. There wasn't really anything more to say, so Harry reached for his last letter and Ron and Hermione got theirs. They all opened them at the same time.

Mr. H. Potter.

You have passed your auror written exams and will move on

to the practical exams. The test will take place at 3:00 Am this Monday in muggle London downtown warehouse district on recommendations of your instructor. The instructor, should you pass under certain condition, will continue with your training. You will move in with him/her. It is recommended that before you leave for the testing you shall pack anything you wish to bring with you for what could be considered an extended stay, you will technically be moving in.

The 1st section of the practical test will be to find the correct building,

if you fail you will not be tested. You may only be one hour late to the testing.

Head of Auror Training

"Well, that was abrupt." said Hermione frowning. Ron fell back onto the nearby dark green couch.

"Relax Hermione, we have a whole day to pack and prepare." Said Ron putting his feet up on the coffee table and his arms behind his head.

"Ron, today's Sunday…" said Hermione looking worried about Ron's mental capacity as she waved her wand to move Ron's feet from her clean table.

"It is? Oh well, we still have half a day then." Said Ron calmly.

"No, we don't Ron, we have to pack tonight, tomorrow we have to go to Hogwarts." Said Hermione just like she did at school when chastising the boys on not working hard enough. Ron blanched.

"Shite! I gotta go pack!" Ron rushed upstairs ignoring Harry's stifled laughs.

"Honestly, I think he forgot his wife is the smartest wizard of our age and can just use a packing charm."

"He also seems to have forgotten that I will let hell freeze over before I let him pack. Remember what happened last time?" Said Hermione smugly. Harry couldn't contain his laughter.

"Yes! How could I forget! He tried to pack witch and his wardrobe exploded!" Hermione burst out laughing along with Harry. When they finally stopped laughing Harry wanted to point something. "You know Hermione, by some theories the seventh level of hell is frozen…" Hermione looked surprised that Harry knew this and a little disturbed as well.

"Harry, where did you learn this…" Harry shrugged

"Professor McGonagall lent me some of Snape's old books…I wanted to see what he was really like…you know, for him." Hermione nodded sadly and hugged Harry. They just stood for a while until a shout from upstairs and some thumping showed that Ron had dropped something on his foot. Harry sighed. "I better choose what I'm going to take… I don't want to pack in a rush tomorrow." Hermione nodded.

"It'll be great to see everyone again, we can go see Hagrid and help with the castle." Harry brightened considerably at this and smiled.

"Yeah, it will be. I'm gonna go pack, you should come too, it sounds as if Ron needs some help. Come to think of it, I would appreciate some help packing too." Hermione huffed.

"Will I always have to help you too?" Hermione grinned shaking her head before following Harry up stairs.


	2. Chapter 2: Meeting Memories

Chapter 2

The next morning they had breakfast and got ready to leave, before they realized they didn't know how to get to Hogwarts without the train. Sure Harry and Ron had flown there in the car but they were still following the train.

Hermione rulled out flying, "How will we know where to go? It's unplottable." After 15 minutes they were still thinking and Hermione went to reread Hagrids letter.

"Harry, Ron! Look!" She burst back into the room, and showed them the letter, which had new words on it.

_**Ps. McGonagall turned this letter into a portkey, it will leave at 8:00 Am tomorrow. See you soon.**_

They all looked at the clock.

"It's 7:59! Grab the letter!" cried Hermione. As soon as they grabbed the familiar pull behind the naval started and they knew the portkey had worked. They all fell in a heap outside the main entrance. They were helping each other shake off dust when McGonagall came out through the main door..

"Good, you made it here safely. Hurry up, there are things you are wanted to do and Dumbledore will be waiting in his portrait for you at 12:00." McGonagal paused and smiled, "It's so good to see you all here, I'm glad you are doing well." She started to briskly walk toward the door after this rare display of affection. Harry, Ron, and Hermione ran to catch up and walked beside her. McGonagall started giving them a schedule, there we're apparently many things they had to do here.

"You will first see Hagrid, he wants to show you the progress on the wall, then"

"But we just saw the wall, it looked fine." Said Ron who was glared at by McGonagall for interrupting.

"An illusion to keep people who would do us harm to believe we are safe, it can only be taken down once the wall is finished. Now, after meeting Hagrid you will be going to…Professor Snape's chambers. We do not know what to do with his things, he has no family to come and remove them. Most of his items will remain at the school for teaching, such as his books and cauldRon's, but there are some personal items that we feel should be taken by friends. He apparently left something for each of you in his will…" McGonagall said with great sadness.

"He left us things? But he hated us, well except Harry, I think." Said Ron confusedly.

"He also left letters accompanying the items, they will probably shed some light on that question. All of them just appeared on his desk one night… Now, Hagrid is waiting for you three, hurry along. I trust you can find your way there without any trouble. Come meet me in my office when you are done. The password is Bastet." McGonagall said as she walked off briskly. The trio went off to see Hagrid.

"Hagrid." Cried all three as they ran into Hagrid's open arms.

"Harry, Ron, Hermione! It's good ta see you!" Said Hagrid smiling as he crushed them in a hug.

"How are your wounds feeling?" asked Harry looking at the mans face which was still covered in scars that would never heal.

"They're alrigh', they itch when it's gonna rain though." Said Hagrid happily ignoring their looks of concern. "Come see Grawp, he's liftin up some o' the wall righ' now. He'd be 'appy to see yeh." Said Hagrid as he released them from the hug and waved for them to follow. They soon reached the wall that had been torn down in the attack, you couldn't see the difference between it and the rest of the castle. "Ere' c'mon and touch this rock." Hagrid held out what seemed to be an ordinary piece of black rock, but the group did as they were told.

Suddenly a gaping hole in the wall could be seen, as well as Grawp lifting up stones high enough so that workers could levitate more of them before wearing themselves out. There were at least 15 wizards, and all of them were putting rocks in place and then using numerous complicated spells to reattach them to the castle. A loud cry broke the air.

"Hermy!" Grawp came running up to Hermione with a grin on his face stopping just before knocking them over.

"Hello Grawp, how have you been?" Asked Hermione trying not to look nervous.

"Grawp been good, you been good?" replied the giant. The group was still amazed at how much the giant had learned scince they first met him, it was amazing.

"I've been doing well, I see you're helping rebuild the wall. Hagrid must be proud." Replied Hermione.

"Hagger do good too. I allowed to stay at castle after finish building wall." Grawp was very happy about being able to stay here apparently. After chatting for a bit Hagrid introduced them to the other workers, then he asked them if they wanted to come see large bugbear he had caught. Harry quickly explained that they had promised they would go down and look at Snape's room and retrieve what he had left them.

They headed quickly toward the dungeon to put as much distance between them and whatever a bugbear was. They entered the potions classroom and looked around, almost expecting Snape to come out of the shadows and yell at them for standing there like a bunch of idiots. He didn't however.

"It looks exactly the same…" said Hermione quietly.

"Lets go." Said Harry ushering the other toward the door. They turned a couple corners before they realized they didn't know where Snape's chambers were. They looked around as Harry cursed himself for leaving the marauder's map at home. He looked up to ask Hermione if they should go ask McGonagall when he saw a familiar billowing cloak whip around a corner.

"That's Snape's cloak!" said Harry as he rushed off after the black clad Professor.

"Snape's dead Harry." Called Hermione sadly after him, but Ron ran after Harry right away. Sighing, Hermione began to trudge after them.

It seemed to Harry that every time he turned a corner in the maze of the dungeons that the end of the cloak was already rounding the next one.

"Snape! Wait a second you git!" yelled Harry running after him with more vigor. Harry rounded another corner and slammed straight into a door, he swore he heard a Snape like snort as he tried to stop his head from spinning. Harry looked warily at the door before drawing his wand and opening it. When nothing happened Harry entered the room. He was in Snape's chambers.

Ron came bursting in through the door panting as Harry stared at his surroundings. This couldn't be Snape's chamber, it wasn't dark enough. Granted everything was in dark shades of green, black, blue, and red, but silver shot through here and there along with gold and white. There were no skulls, no strange devices, no…anything really creepy. There were, of course, lots of potions ingredients and even more books. Vials, bunsen burners, test tubes, pliers and all manners of scientific equipment were crammed onto shelves along with small cauldrons, herbs, and other small items. There were candles everywhere, and no windows. The other parts of the chamber were behind closed doors.

"Oh look at all the books!" squealed Hermione happily making Ron and Harry jump.

"Don't sneak up on people like that! You'll get hexed." Cried Ron still at Hermione, but the number of ancient tomes on the shelves lining the room had already entranced her. Ron sighed and went over to look with her. Harry however had not moved from the spot, his eyes were fixed on the table where three envelopes lay along with three packages.

"Guys come look at this." Ron and Hermione came and looked at the letters with Harry. There was one addressed to each of them. They each opened their and read them silently. Hermione broke the silence with a squeal.

"What?" Ron jumped at the sound, he obviously did not feel comfortable in the dungeons.

"He left me all his books and a feather light bag with a charm that lets me put an infinite amount of things in it! But…"

"What…" said Ron sounding nervous.

"He said that I am not allowed to loan them to anyone but you and…if he should return I must let him have use of the texts… but how could he come back…he's dead…" Hermione said thinking.

"The git is trying to make sure that the books are technically still his… or something." Said Ron before continuing to read his letter. "Cool, he left me a charm that repels spiders…wait, is he trying to make fun of me? Oh, he also left me large bottle of… no way! Felix Felicis!" Ron gasped as he grabbed the package that accompanied his letter and held it tight. "What about you Harry? …Harry?" Ron walked over and touched Harry on the shoulder.

"Harry, what's wrong?" Asked Hermione quietly.

"He left me a bottle of an experimental potion he had perfected….Immortalus…" Hermione walked over and looked at the letter curious about what the potion did, her eyes widened.

"24 hours of true immortality, wounds heal instantly, limbs re-grow, the body reforms if blown up, the soul cannot be destroyed…wow Harry this is, amazing." Said Hermione in a whisper of awe.

"He said it's because I have the inability to stay out of trouble…"said Harry with a sad smile. Harry folded the letter and picked up his package before going to wait outside the room. Hermione quickly magicked the books into he new bag and pulled the string tight before following. Ron left right after her.

Waiting for his friends Harry started walking in silence beside them, he couldn't help the feeling that someone was watching them. Was he going insane? What had he seen going around those corners? He pondered this as he walked and when he looked up they were at the entrance to the headmaster, or mistress's, office. Ron said the password and the waited for the griffon to move.

"I didn't think McGonagall would be one to use nonsense words for her passwords." Said Ron thinking.

"Bastet isn't a nonsense word Ron. Bastet is an Egyptian cat goddess. McGonagall probably uses cat references for her passwords, a cat being her animagus form. And it's pronounces Bas-tet not Bost-at." Said Hermione knowingly as the griffon jumped out of the way. They climbed and were about to knock on the door when they heard McGonagall talking loudly.

"How would Severus's experiment notes and Gringotts key vanish though? No one could enter the wards without the password and only I know it."

"I assure you Severus's items are in good hands Minerva, there is nothing to worry about. Now I believe our three young guests are waiting outside the door." Harry recognized Dumbledore's voice and heard footsteps coming toward the door. A second later it opened and McGonagall ushered them in. "Hello Harry, I trust you are well?" Asked Dumbeldore's portrait as a painted twinkle appeared in his eye.

"Yes sir." Replied Harry curious as to why they had been asked to come and impatient as ever to know.

"Miss Granger, Mrs. Weasley now I believe," said Dumbledore smiling as Hermione nodded blushing, "and Mr. Weasley, may I assume you are both in good health as well?" They both nodded. "Good, we can get down to business, but first, would anyone like tea?" Everyone nodded and Professor McGonagall summoned one out of thin air much like Dumbledore used to do. "Every new headmaster or mistress gets the ownership of the tea set that comes with the office." Dumbledore said eyes twinkling like mad. He reached for a painted cup of tea as everyone else prepared theirs the way they liked it. "Now, I know you have all been accepted for the practical exams for Auror testing. Your teacher is a friend of mine and I must warn you to not anger her, though it may be hard at times to do so, it is quite easy at others. Be careful. Also, do not be surprised if you see old friends. I hope you succeed in finding the testing place, but here is a tip or two, muggles cannot see what we can see, and a simple finite incantatum or revealing charm often work wonders. Lastly, when all is lost, you can find the answer easily by listening, listen to nature and she will help. Oh, and I will talk to you again soon." Dumbledore smiled and walked out of the painting leaving them speechless. McGonagall urged them up out of their seats.

"You only have two hours to look for the correct building, you shouldn't sit here dawdling, I will send your new belonging back to your house along with a house elf to pack them in the appropriate suitcases. Yes I know about the letters having helped many students try to apply and have read them myself." McGonagall herded them toward the door and paused before she pushed them out. "I am all very proud of you, if any students of mine should have the greatest chance to become aurors it is you three." McGonagall smiled and shooed them away after giving them a portkey to the London down town area.


	3. Chapter 3: Stained Glass Room

Chapter 3 Stained Glass Room

The Golden Trio stood in a rundown muggle neighborhood of London, looking at a spectacularly old deserted and dirty building. The door in front of them was so elaborate and large it wouldn't have been possible to miss it, yet muggles walked right by it as if it wasn't there. They had been casting revealing charms and finite incantatems for an hour before Hermione realized that a muggle was looking at two buildings, but ignoring the third as if it wasn't there. Hermione cast a revealing charm immediately after the muggle left and the large door had appeared.

"Bloody hell that door is big!"

"Ron!" yells Hermione.

"Sorry honey…." Ron gives a quick glance and wink to Hermione who roles her eyes.

"It's 3:00, we should go in." Harry says.

"Well how are we supposed to do that, the door is so big Hagrid couldn't move it, I mea…" Ron says annoyed before someone comes up behind them.

"Malfoy?" question Hermione, Ron and Harry at the same time.

"Hello Potter, Weasley, Granger." Says Malfoy oily

"What the hell do you think you're doing here, with Goyle no less?" Screams Ron enraged.

"Since He-who-must-not-be named fell I've decided I might as well try and look my best for society, and hunt down those imbeciles who hurt my father…" Harry and the others stare blankly at him, except for Hermione who looks encredulous.

"So you've decided to become an Auror Malfoy…."

"Precisely mudblood."

"Don't talk to my wife like that you filthy little git! Sectum-" Ron however did not finish his spell as they were caught speechless by the doors opening before them…

"Enter, and sit down to be prepared for testing…" a strangely familiar voice said to the group. They all entered and found themselves to be in an extremely large cathedral like room, surrounded with armor, weapons, poisons, and other cruel devices… "Sit in the chairs…" the group noticed 5 stiff but comfortable wooden chairs by the door, under a stained glass window unseen from the outside of the building, and sat down. "Your Auror test will be explained momentarily… now if-"

"Professor McGonagall?" Harry cries out at the teachers face "but I just saw you…you congratulated us on being accepted for testing!"

"Damn, I knew I should have used that unimportant dunderhead from the ministry I…."

"Now Severus…." Another feminine voice enters from the shadows…

"Severus!" cries Hermione. "But he's dead!" With a wave of his wand McGonagall disappeared and was replaced by an irate Severus Snape, who looked even paler and thinner than usual.

"Precisely Miss Granger now if you would kindly let me…"

"No!" Cried Harry "You don't have to, I saw your memories, I know you innocent!"

"Shut-up Potter, not about that, about how I'm _alive_." Growled Snape venomously.

"Oh…" said Harry quietly as Malfoy chuckled and Snape sneered…

"Severus, how about you tell them how the test works, and Ill describe what happens after they've tried to kill me…."

"K-kill you!" stutters Ron "Hasn't there been enough-"

"Quiet Wealsy!" Snape still seemed to have the power to make people go quiet whenever he wanted, and Ron did just that. "Fine Bella, you'll explain later…Ahem the test, the objective of the test is to stop one person from reaching you, or attacking you. This person does not use a wand but because of this persons chaotic dark nature she does not need one… now you are trying to stop said person using the least amount of spells possible, 200 plus spells will fail, 100-200 spells will pass but will be required to have basics DADA training as well as auror training. 51-100 spells will be accepted and given to the Ministry for auror training, between 20-50 will be suggested for advanced training, 11-20 will be given special higher training and under 10 spells used will be taken to a special school for training in more dangerous missions…Potter, you'd be good at that with the way you seem to throw your life around, and yes Potter, the jobs here will be as hard as facing the Dark Lord, but without the horcruxes and you won't have that special wand, so in some ways it will be easier, and in others harder…" Snape stares maliciously at Malfoy's sweating face, Ron's trembling hands grasping the sides of his chair so hard his knuckles are white, and Goyle open mouth and voided expression. He notes that Hermione is paying rapt attention like always, and that Harry looks only slightly nervous. Snape sneers. "As for the rules, there are none…when you are expected to bring down a wizard, your priority is to capture, but most times that is impossible, you will most likely end up having to kill your query, so we are preparing you for that and- yes Miss Granger?"

"Are we allowed to use any spell?"

"Yes Miss Granger, and f I am right you are going to ask another question?" Snape turns to glare at Hermione who wavers under Snape's eyes for a moment before asking "are we allowed to use the…Unforgivables?" The whole group looks at Snape questioningly…

"Yes…" Snape smiles at their surprised looks, which surprises everybody, "and before you ask Miss Granger that includes the killing curse, but as a last resort because it would be a last resort in your jobs. Now it would be welcome if your didn't use those curses right away and-WHAT IS IT MISS GRANGER?" Snape whirls furiously upon her, and she seems to grow smaller for a second. A small laugh can be heard from the unlit back of the room.

"Uhm. I'm not Miss Granger anymore sir… I'm Mrs. Weasley…" Hermione looks at Ron lovingly and Snape looks curiously for a second… "And I was wondering if you knew that some objects of yours had been taken from your quarters, McGonagall seemed worried."

"Yes well good for you both, I hope you survive it, and as for your name, for sake of not making you sound like Ron's mother, and because you will always be Miss Granger to me, you will remain Miss Granger, UNDERSTOOD?" Snape seems to yell this without shouting (if that is somehow possible, Snape could probably do it), as he whirls around he continues in a softer voice. "I shall inform Minerva that I took those objects, I obviously forgot to tell her, she must have been quite nervous…." Hermione whispers to her friends.

"Did I Just see Snape actually smile?" Asks Hermione.

"Well, Snape doesn't have a reason to act evil now that Voldemort's dead, he doesn't have to spy anymore." Says Harry quietly, "He's free." The trio sits in silence for a moment before Ron mutters.

"Doesn't make him any less of a git." Hermione looks surprised and Harry offended.

"After all he's done Ron, how can you say that?"

"Because he's still and evil little-"

Ron didn't have a chance to finish his muttered comment because Snape was standing right in front of them again, no one had seen, or heard him walk up.

"Yes Weasley, I am still evil as you put it, rest assured, but Potter is right, I have no reason to be prejudiced toward anyone, the only reason for me being mean now, is that it is amusing, and almost second nature to me. The best thing about me not having to spy anymore is this though." Snape says as he whirls away. "Yes, I believe it has been a long time since I've done this." Snape turns back toward the group and walks directly up in front of Ron, and smiles, evilly. Ron shrinks down into his chair, and Hermione and Harry edge away, almost feeling the pure glee from the professor as he scares Ron to the point of fainting. Just when it seems Ron is about to faint Snape whirls away and gets ready to explain more about the test. "As I said before," Snape continues as if nothing had happened, "the object of the test is to stop the woman from reaching you, she will not attack you as you are not prepared with full knowledge of your enemy it would give an unfair advantage, though I don't see why she shouldn't ass you will be going into battle most times without full knowledge of you enemies and" Snape had started rambling about power and conditions when a voice came from the shadows.

"Severus, I think they get the gist, can we start, I'm getting bored…" Snape sneers for a moment "and don't sneer at my boredom, boredom can be lethal when I get it…to others at least…" Snape's mouth twitches at this, giving the barest hint of a smile, but then his face turns stony again. "Now lets start with that blonde boy at the end…" Malfoy looks up and around to see if anybody else could be meant, and gulps when it apparent there isn't. He gets up and the cavernous room lights up to reveal more elaborate stained glass windows depicted battles of all times and types. More weapons and other objects become visible, and corridors are seen leading away at odd angles. But most of all the attention is put on a woman standing in the middle of the room, dressed in muggle clothing, jeans, sneaks, a bite me black tee and a trench coat. The woman is strangely beautiful with odd colored eyes and long brown hair so dark it was nearly black. But the most apparent thing about her is that she doesn't seem to have any way of fighting back, or have and dark chaotic features.

"A muggle! I'm fighting a muggle?" Draco looks at Snape incredulously looking affronted and expecting Snape to share the sentiment. However, Snape seemed to be smiling at a private joke, which Malfoy seems to be worried about. Anything funny for Snape couldn't be good for anybody else.

"On the count of three Malfoy, try to prevent this women from coming close to you, or attacking you." Malfoy nods considering this to be an easy win. Hermione doesn't look so sure and pays attention to look at tactics the enemy will use.

"One, two, …THREE!" Malfoy draws his wand as the women starts walking towards him smiling.

"Sectumsempra!" the light dashes toward the women and cuts her many times, but the girl just keeps on walking despite blood loss. Malfoy starts but tries again. "Sectumsempra, Sectumsempra, Sectumsempra Sectumsempra!" The spells hit the women with force that cut off an arm, hand, part of the coat, and the head. The body falls to the ground as Malfoy turns to look at Snape triumphantly…but Snape is smiling still watching the body, as is everbody else. Turning back to see what the fuss is about Malfoy gasps. The women seems to have reconstructed her body and is inspecting her coat.

"Damn bloodstains, take forever to get out, oh and its ripped to, ah well…" the lady discards the coat and keeps walking despite the shredded shirt exposing her bra. Malfoy readies to try again.

"Serpensortia!" A gigantic snake bursts out of the wandand slithers toward the lady, who screams, as Malfoy looks proud, for a second.

"Aren't you adorable! I'm gonna name you … Sliver, cause you slither and your eyes are shiny! My daughter Sara will Love you!" The lady runs up to pat the snake on the head, the snake entwines around her arm and hisses in her ear. "Stop that tickles, now run along and I'll see you later." The snake slithers off and the lady keeps walking.

Malfoy is looking a little panicked and cries Lumos creating such a bright light that everyone who didn't close their eyes is blinded, which was the lady.

"Oh, well I guess I can't see…. I'll just use smell and sound then…." The lady continues to walk, and is only a little ways away from Malfoy.

"Crucio!" shouts Malfoy and the Lady falls down and begins to scream, her eyes turning red and her hair becoming pitch black and her skin becoming pale. The screaming continues as the lady begins to shake. She stars crawling, now gasping instead of screaming still under the crucio. Now mere feet away from Malfoy she stops about to touch him and looks into Malfoy's eyes…Malfoy stares into her eyes, as if he can see something and stops the curse… "I can't win, I failed."

The lady lifts him to his feet, "No, you passed, knowing when to give up is a good trait, it means you can fight later, escape and bring back reinforcements, or at least send a message before you die. You pass, but you will receive extra basics training, now go sit down." Malfoy looks slightly happier than this, but still grumbled about being beaten by a mudblood. "Now I won't let anyone else use that trick now, because it'd be easy and copying, now lets start again." Says the lady.

"Are you a parsletounge?" asks Harry quietly.

"No, I am a lover of animals though and understand them better than most humans." The lady replies smiling as she walks back half a mile to the starting point. "The brown haired girl next!" Hermione jumps up with a start. "I think she's ready, she has a plan I believe." The lady smiles at Hermione, who blushes scarlet.

"How did you know?"

"I have other ways of reading minds than legilimency and occlumency, don't worry I haven't looked at your plan…"

Hermione gets up, wand drawn and Ron looking nervous for her.

"One, Two, THREE!" shouts Snape, again curious as to the turnout of the battle. Hermione calls "Wingardium Leviosa!" repeatedly at a Silver pointed set of daggers until all of them are in the air. She makes them go toward the lady who has covered half the distance already. The lady block her upper torso with her arms and the daggers cut her skin leaving marks that seem to burn.

"Oooh, clever girl, but it won't do much…" the lady continues to walk as the dagger bombard and slash at her.

"Hermione slashes her wand through the air canceling some spell and suddenly behind the women a large spear with barbs appears floating and impales the lady to the ground. They lady curses now occupied with wrenching out the spear and fending off daggers, her eyes are red again and its clear she's about to get pissed and change tactics, but "Rictusempra!" shouts Hermoine as the lady pulls out the spear. Now mere feet from Hermione, the lady falls to the floor giggling as Hermione summons feathers from suits of armor and uses them to tickle her as well. Nearly touching Hermione the woman gasps and bursts out in uncontrollable laughter.

"I give! I give! Stop, stop, stop!" Hermione cancels the spells and the lady tries to catch her breath. "Ten, hehe, spells, good you pass, for hehe, damn how'd you know I was ticklish?"

"You told the snake to stop licking you."

"And the silver?"

"I deduced that from your eyes, pale complexion and healing powers that-"

"Yes, yes. Well done, sit, sit. Now if you want to try tickling me again you'll have to cancel my magic, which is a spell high above your level, or you'd have to catch me off guard. Neither of these things will happen so I suggest that you just don't try it. You need to sit down and rest Hermione, yes, thank you. Snape can you give me that red vial I was asking you to hold for me, I can't seem to catch my breath…" Snape hands the lady a vial containing deep red liquid and she sips it, calming immediately. "Ahhh, thank you, you can have the rest Severus, I know its been a while since you ate, you look paler than usual, though I can't say I don't mind the look, but ah, being married and all." The women smiles mischievously as Snape drains the rest of the vial, the little color he had coming back into his cheeks.

"Yes, yes, well, whose next?" inquires Snape.

"That big fellow, next to the blond boy, yes you." Goyle gets up smiling as the lady walks to the starting place. Snape counts to three and the duel begins. Goyle opens by sending a bout of fiendfyre at Bela, he is seemingly better able to control the spell than Crabbe. The fire rushes toward the lady and burns in that area until Goyle stops the spell. Nothing is there, Goyle smiles.

"Yoohoo! Above!" The lady is hovering above the floor with great black batwings flapping furiously. She lowers herself to the ground and continues walking.

"Imerio!" Goyle cries. The lady shakes her head as if flicking away a fly and continues walking. "Avada K-"

"You don't really wanna do that honey…" says the lady as Goyle looks at her dumbfounded, "You know you'd much rather have me alive, with you…and me… together…" Goyle shiver as the lady extends her arms to welcome him. "You know you want to be with me, come, you know you love me…" Goyle sways his eyes growing wide and his cheeks flushing at something only he can see. "You know you want to be with me…forever…" The lady is still walking forward as Goyle faints and falls to the ground. "Oh, oh dear. I believe I over did it… Severus?" Snape rolls his eyes and points his wand at Goyle.

"Ennerverate. Honestly, you know how powerful your allure is… the boy is barely 18, tone it down Be-"

"Awww, but where's the fun in that?" the lady asks evily. Snape smirks as he helps the blushing and sobbing Goyle back to his chair. "I'm sorry, you failed honey, you have to have a stronger will than that, to know when someone's entering your minds and planting images…. I'm sorry you're just not ready for this yet… Now…whose next?"

"How about potter?" suggests Snape.

"Ok then… lets go Harry." Says the lady as she walks back to her place. Harry gets up and looks around the room a plan forming.

"You can do it Harry." Cries Hermione encouragingly, Ron is to preoccupied with his own problems to speak.

"One Two Three!" Snape says very quickly.

"Lumos" yells Harry blinding the lady advancing on him.

"Blinding again, that wore off fairly quickly you know, and I can still smell and hear you…"

"Muffliato!"

"Ok now I can't hear you, but I can smell you, and sense your heartbeat…"

"Accio Draught of Living Stone!"

"What the hell is Harry doing?" Whispers Ron to Hermione, who just smiles.

"Rannati!" yells Harry at the slowly approaching woman, who shrinks turns green and becomes…a frog. Harry throws the potion over the frog, which turns to stone. "Finite incantatum!" the frog disappears and a stone statue of the woman replace it.

"Ok what the hell just happened?" asks Ron. Harry looks at Hermione who nods.

"Harry turned the lady into a frog, and since frogs drink through their skin when Harry threw the potion on it, it turned to stone. Brilliant Harry." Beamed Hermione, even Snape looked a little impressed, but was jerked back to reality by loud snores coming from the lady.

"Sigh, wait here while I go fetch the revival potion, and DON'T wander off!" Snape barks before walking down one of the many corridors.


	4. Chapter 4: The Bloody Bottle

Chapter 4 The Bloody Bottle

Snape stalked the long winding corridors turning down hallways opening doors and entering through secret passageways so many times it seemed impossible he could know where he was going, but Snape didn't even look up from the ground. He seemed to be deep in thought, and was whispering to himself.

"Why, why did you make me wear that damned bracelet Albus, if I had known who it'd call when I died I would have refused to wear it…Damn you Albus, and now I have to work with Potter… and those friends of his, watch him everyday as that life flows through his veins… I have so little control… I hate not having control of myself, my reputation! Damn that women, why did she have to bring me back…damn you and your cursed Count for bringing me back, and damn you Albus for asking her too! Damn you all! If only… my patronus…why…"

"The patronus draws energy from your soul to work…" Snape jumps as the voice reverberates looking around before realizing it was in his mind.

"Damn you women! Stop sneaking into my head! Why can't I use occlumens on you?"

"Because I made you, and I'm not using legilimency…"

"Than what are…wait, you're a statue, a mere garden display how..."

"My body is asleep, that doesn't mean my soul is."

"How can you have a soul when I! God damn it woman, must you beat me in every way?"

"You know you are much better at wand magic than me and better at potions too, I just know more recipes if you want to put it that way. You can modify and make them stronger and understand them to a level I can't, I can prepare them, you can enhance them." Snape smiled inwardly, feeling slightly better about himself, as he walked into a wall, no through a wall.

"Fine, but why can't I cast some of my spells?"

"Try casting your patronus"

"I can't! You know very well that-"

"Cast you patronus!" The woman ordered, and Snape seemed forced to comply.

"Expecto Patronum!" A small light escaped from the wand, otherwise nothing happened, "see I told you I ca-"

"And that's the point, what did I say the Patronus draws its energy from?"

"The sou- YOU MEAN I DON'T HAVE A SOUL! Damn it woman I should flay y-"

"You already thought about this before I brought it up, you just wouldn't admit you thought it was true: and you know very well that you can't and that it wouldn't do any good if you could Severus. And no, you have a soul, just not In your body, it's still attached to you, but by a thin thread that leads far away, you need to reach your soul and reconnect with it, find a reason to live again, no matter what it may be…" Snape smiled.

"Could it be making Potter's life miserable?"

"Yes, it could, but that isn't a strong enough reason…" Snape entered through a door and entered a room, apparently his room evident by the potions books and ingredients covering the wall, he picked up the potion and started to walk back. "Stop for a moment," Snape stopped and listened irritatedly. "You will go on a quest to get your soul, you'll have to find where it is for you to reconnect with it, even you find a reason for living the soul has to be close by… now why don't you use the shortcut to get back." The woman says evilly. Snape splutters.

"What! There was a shortcut! Why did you make me walk all this way?"

"Aw, but if you had taken the short way we wouldn't have had this lovely chat!" Snape grumbled as the woman sniggered. "Go to the tapestry outside the door and walk through it." Snape went outside, replaced his wards and locked the door before turning to a disgusting tapestry depicting a jewel being reached for by some demons. Snape lifted up the tapestry to find a door and, stared at a wall. He touched it, the wall was solid, he stepped back and lifted his wand preparing to blast away the wall.

"Don't break the wall please, I like the fact that this shortcut is concealed." Snape raises an eyebrow and prepares another spell to enlarge the hole temporarily, but "In fact, Snape, I would like you to not use your wand at all." Snape looks livid.

"And just how, pray tell, am I supposed to do that?" Snape inquires silkily.

"Just will yourself through that crack in the wall."

"I am going to point out that that crack is barely three centimeters wide and you expect me-"

"JUST DO IT!" this woman was not one to be trifled with. Snape sighed and thought himself going through the dusty crack…dust… Snape found himself disintegrating and flowing through the crack, in the next room he solidified and found himself in a circular room with hundreds of different color-coded doors. "Which door, which door," he thought.

"The red one in front of you, and-"

"You know I hate if when you do that..." muttered Snape in his head.

"Why do you think I do it?" asked the women lightly causing Snape to rub his nose and count to ten. "Want to vent your anger? Yes, you do, I know you to well. How about you go through the red door as dust, and reform behind that Potter boy you love to tease so much. Reform with your hand on his shoulder, and your head by his ear, and watch him jump. I want to see how he reacts, and you can form dust again if he tries anything." Snape smiled evilly as he walked toward the red door and disintegrated into a fine dust. Going through the keyhole he came to the large room through a door in the ceiling with a platform under it, apparently for hidden observation of the room.

Snape floated down behind Harry, still dust, and landed on his shoulders. Harry looked up.

"There dust falling from the ceiling… I wonder if…"

"No ones up there Harry," said Hermione, "we need to think about what Ron can do…If only we could anticipate her movements!"

"Maybe we can," Ron and Hermione looked at Harry expectantly. "She said she was a occlumens, but not a good one. Read her mind Ron!"

"That's brilliant Harry!" Said Hermione and Ron shrugged."

"I'll try it."

"Okay, then you can decide what spell is best to use, and then..." Hermione started rambling about spells and counter spells, no one even thought that anyone other than them, and Draco and Goyle, was there. Snape smiled to himself, Weasley would get a surprise when he tried to read his friends mind, not only would she let him, but she'd direct his searching at certain images… this would be interesting…now to have some fun. Snape muttered a nonverbal spell, before remembering that not only did he not have a mouth, but his wand was disintegrated too. To his surprise the vase he was aiming to move fell to the ground anyway. Everyone turned to look for the source of the sound (except Malfoy and Goyle who were looking at some poisons). Snape took his chance and materialized, his hand on Harry's shoulder and his mouth next to his ear.

"Hello Potter." Harry almost jumped a foot into the air he was so startled and Snape had to concentrate on something else himself so he would not burst out laughing. He focused on the nearest thing, Potter, specifically the part of Potter he was looking at was his ear, Snape heard a drumbeat from below and looked down to see where it came from, and saw Potters neck, and the pulse that had created the drumming sound. Snape's eyes dilated till the already dark eyes were huge, and had a tinge of red. Snape licked his lips and leaned forward, and stopped, someone was laughing, it was that woman. Why was she laughing, he was about to, to put it plainly, _eat_ the Potter boy. She wasn't stopping him, though he knew she could easily, Snape's thoughts turned back to what he was doing, and he didn't really care. He leaned closer, his fangs unsheathing and grazing the boy's neck…he inhaled the sweet scent, and opened his mouth wider to-.

"Harry!" Snape jumped up, all this had happened in about 10 seconds, and now Potter's friends were turning around to see him.

"Ahem, yes." Snape stood up and straightened himself, regaining his composure as Potter's friends stared open mouthed and Harry shuddered. "Well, I have the potion and-what are you staring at?" Snape snapped at the group.

"Professor, you're, you're a vampire…" Hermione stated… "That's why Lupin assigned that vampire essay after you assigned the one about werewolves…"

"Correct Miss Granger, as always. I'm a vampire, in a matter of speaking, but I wasn't fully when Lupin assigned that essay. I was Alive for one thing…now, as you can see I am not, and my, desires have been, made more…apparent."

"How?" Asked Harry.

"That is what the lithified (lithify to turn to stone) excuse for a woman over there will tell you after the final duel." Said Snape his voice dripping with anger, at the woman, being denied a meal, but mostly that he had lost control and was about to eat the Potter boy, whom he, while still disgusted by, cared for in a fatherly way… "Wait while I administer this antidote." Snape goes toward the statue of the woman and pours the antidote on the statue, leaving one drop for the mouth. The statue cracked, and then shattered as if it were an exoskeleton. A loud sigh comes from the statue as the figure inside stretches.

"Aaaaaaah, wow that did wonders for my skin!" Snape sneers at this comment, as if he knew the lady would say something like that. "Yes, well done Harry, nice use of transfiguration, you pass, obviously. Now, I believe there is one person left, sorry to be so business like, but I haven't eaten dinner or breakfast and would like to get this over so I can eat, and maybe drink something. Hmmm, Snape would you volunteer?" The lady smiles, hidden laughter in her eyes as Snape sneers back.

"You know that I couldn't refuse lunch with you even if I wanted too." He snapped.

"You know what I mean." The lady says chidingly.

"Yes, well, than I would just be hungrier and you know how hungry fledglings are."

"Yes, well, on with the next person, we'll get you something to eat later. Unless one of you three would like to volunteer?" The lady raises an eyebrow at the trio.

"Volunteer for what?" asks Ron.

"To feed Snape, Ron."

"But he's a vampire!"

"Exactly…" whispers Harry. Ron opens his mouth in a silent O. "I'll volunteer." Harry says quietly.

"No you won't Potter! And if you do I refuse! I will not stoop to such-" Snape stares as Harry mutters a spell that slices open his wrist and waves his wand to create a stream of blood that flows through the air toward him. Snape's pupils dilate at the smell and he licks his lips before snapping back to his old self. Snape takes a large empty bottle from the folds of his robes and holds it out to the thin red stream, waving his wand to move the liquid into the vial. "Thank you Potter, that will do." Says Snape as he cuts off the stream and stoppers the bottle. He then idly points his wand at Harry's cut and heals it without a word. There was an awkward silence as Snape holds the bottle under the light and inspects it. He then unstoppers the vial and smells it, his large nostrils flaring. Tentatively taking a small sip he smiles as the drops hit his tongue. Upending the bottle he pours over half of its contents into his mouth, ignoring the astonished and disgusted glances from Harry and Ron, and the studying eyes of Hermione. Licking his lips Snape looks unlike his usual composed self, he looks happy, and feral, until he notices the group staring at him and puts his mask back on about to berate them for staring when-

"Aren't you going to share Severus?" A laughing voice calls. Everyone turns to the lady who is pretending to pout.

"You know very well Bela that-"

"Bela? Like Belatrix?" Says Ron angrily remembering the cruel lady.

"No, Bela as in Bela Lugosi the famous actor, that lady completely dishonors the name. Severus, I only want a drop to understand the boy better, now give it here, because if I am forced to make you know how unpleasant and embarrassing it will be." Severus sighs and levitates the bottle to the lady, whose name is now known to be Bela. She runs her finger along the edge, licks her finger, and smiles. "Hmmm, virgin, 18 years of age, powerful in defense and offense but weak in planning, needs to eat more meat, had a cold three weeks ago, has suffered immensely for others he does not know, cares for his friends, is loyal but rash. Parslemouth, potential to become an animagus is great, has strong feelings and good intuition. Is-"

"You can tell all that from my blood? How?"

"Blood magic Potter. Blood is powerful and-" Snape is cut off here by Hermione.

"Is regarded as a life source, a source of information and power if used correctly in potions, spells, and rituals. Blood can be used to make a connection to the person and control him or her, it can be used to view memories or track a lost person. Because of it's versatility and use in many dark magicks and potions blood of all sentient creatures has been banned by the ministry in the use of magic, unless of course you have a license for research or have registered a request to use it and-"

"Yes, Ms Granger, always above and beyond." Snape comments as he stalks over to Bela and snatches the vial back from her before downing the rest of its contents. The focus back on Snape now the trio realized he looks different from before he drank the blood. His teeth are straight and white, though the eyeteeth and canines are a little sharper, his hair shiny and clean, his skin less yellow and overall healthier looking. The trio had to work hard to keep from staring at him as he shook the bottle over his open mouth and frowns as he realizes it's empty. Tucking the bottle back into his robes he stalks over to Ron, who nearly faints as vampire Snape comes towards him. "Well Weasley, it appears to be your turn to fight." Snape says sneering as Ron gulps and steps towards the line facing the already positioned Bela.

"1, 2, 3!" Snape counts off the start.

"Legilimens!" Ron shouts pointing his wand at the slowly advancing Bela. Ron's eyes go wide at the images rushing in his mind as Bela stands still projecting them. A minute goes by and nothing changes, after another minute Snape walks up to Ron and puts his own wand to the boy's head.

"I believe this would be more interesting if we could see what Weasley here is seeing. Sit down! If I am correct, and I usually am, this will be like viewing a two-dimensional pensive. Draco, Goyle! Stop playing with that sword and come here and watch." Malfoy and Goyle come and sit down by the rest of the group their sword forgotten as the prospect of seeing something entertaining makes itself available. Snape whispers a spell and an image appears in front of Ron, the memory he's seeing. A boy, cowering in the corner as a shadow of something horrifying falls over him A new memory of a wolf like creature howling on a mountain at the full moon people below in an amusement park scattering in fear. A tall dark man and Bela puling on a girl each wanting the girl for their own, until, with a scream and a shower of blood the girl is ripped in half. The horrifying images continued and continued until…

"You monster! How can you do those things, your just as bad as Voldemort! Inaculum! Revendiro! Inveris!" one of the suits of armor by the wall comes alive and walks toward Bela who gets in a fighting stance, a metal staff appearing in her hands. The loud clanging from the fight drowns out Ron's repeated spells as more and more suits of armor animate and come towards Bela. Swords come off the wall with levitating spells and attack her. After defending herself for three minute against 5 suits of armor that repair themselves when they fall apart and three swords made of silver Bela raises a hand and says "Requiem!" The swords falter for a moment before continuing their actions, if a little slower. Bela scowls and raises both her hands in defeat, but Ron doesn't stop the spells, if anything he puts more force into them.

Bela shakes her head and looks directly at Snape, who nods. Walking up to Harry and Hermione he whispers scathingly to not interfere unless they want to endure something ten times worse than any detention he's ever given them. Walking silently up behind Ron he whispers "Petrificus Totalus" and Ron freezes and falls to the ground because Snape did not bother to catch him. Unfortunately the suits of armor do not stop when their animator falls. Snape points his wand at Ron and casts a quick finite incantatem before casting an even quicker "Imperio." Using his will to tell Ron to cancel the spells Snape then runs over to Bela who seems a little tired as she uses Severus to help her walk over to the group. Snape conjures a chair for her to sit in and then conjures one for himself beside her.

"Snape, conjure some ropes to bind the boy before releasing him from the Imperio." Snape does so and ennerverates Ron, after gagging him. Bela turns to Ron.

"I know you think I'm evil and that I did all those things, but seeing this one memory will show you otherwise. Severus, if you please." Snape nods and whispers another spell. Another memory, showing the same cowering boy, leaving a haunted house and pointing at Bela and laughing as he leaves and screaming delightedly as she growls at him. The memory ends and Snape takes his wand away from Bela's head and she opens her eyes. After shaking her head to clear it Bela continues. "You see, I work at haunted houses scaring the bajeezuz out of people, it's a very good deal. I get to have fun scaring people, they get to have fun being scared, people rarely get hurt, and my family and me get paid to do it. Severus, if you would remove the rag from Ron's mouth." Snape flicks his wand and the gag disappears. Immediately Ron starts screaming.

"Then how do you explain the girl who was torn in half?!? She has to be dead!"

"She is quite alive and well. If you don't believe me"

"NO, I DON'T!" screams Ron.

"Fine then, I'll call my daughter, she volunteered for the part, and knew it would be painful, but also knew it would scare many people shitless and she wanted to see their faces. She recovered after Agatha, my witch, mended her up. Now give me a minute, Severus would you get me my purse?" Snape rolls his eyes and nonverbally levitates Bela's purse over to her. After rummaging through the junk for a minute Bela pulls out a cell phone. Noticing the curious glances she shrugs and says; "They are useful and I live in the muggle world." Bela dials a number on the phone and waits for someone to pick it up. "Hello? Sara? Yes it's Bela, how are you? Good! Yes I'll be home soon, yes Europe is wonderful, it's not like I didn't live here you know. Yes, yes, everyone is forgetful sometimes. Yes, well I need your help, there's a young boy here who thinks that stunt we pulled last year where you got torn in half, yes the one at the manor, he thinks it was real. Yes I know you think it's stupid but we _did_ actually rip you in half you know… Yes, yes. Well he wants to know that your alive so were going to have Severus, yes I'll say hi to him for you, we're going to have him compare voice wavelengths, yes he already recorded the scream from my memory. I know, he's very smart isn't he, no he won't do your potions homework for you he's an adult and you may not bribe him! You understand me young lady, no blood bribes! Yes, yes, now scream for us will you. Yes, wait for a second. Snape? Play back that scream from my memory. On the count of three you'll scream Sara, and Snape will play back the other scream. 1, 2, 3!" Snape hold out his wand and a yellow light comes out of the tip along with the scream from the memory, a nanosecond later a scream comes from the phone. They sound identical.

"Okay you can stop now… damn it. STOP!" Bela yells at the top of her lungs and the room becomes quiet again. "Now do you believe me Ronald Weasley?"

"No, I know Snape's on your side, he could have faked it." Even Hermione had to agree with that.

"Well, I guess you'll just have to meet her. We're going to my house for training anyway. We have tickets for a flight to New Jersey at 6:00 so we better get going. All three of you passed. You two however," Bela looked at Malfoy and Goyle. "Would you like Snape to wipe your memories of him so there isn't even the temptation to blab or the possibility of it being forced out of you? No? Then I expect you, Malfoy, to be at the ministry in one hour to start your training and you, Goyle, to be at the ministry for practice courses that will help you when you retake the test 2 years from now. Shoo!"

Goyle looked quite ready to go but Malfoy was looking at Snape with a scheming look. "Mr. Malfoy." Malfoy jumps as Bela addresses him. "I am quite aware that Snape just used an unforgivable curse without authorization, but there is nothing to gain from reporting it." Malfoy opens to his mouth to speak but Bela hold up her hand and continues. "You see, no one knows Snape is alive, except me, my friends, Dumbledore's portrait, and now you. And if this information were to somehow reach the public Mr. Malfoy, Mr. Goyle, neither of you would ever see the sun again, and before you say that isn't so bad, I'll have you know that the last three people who I said that to are 1,000 years old, and STILL living in my basement, the others I let go for reasons I don't feel I need to share. I know my friends won't tell because they have nothing to gain from it, and even if they did they wouldn't because they are my friends and know what I would do to them if they pissed me off. The other three sitting here cannot tell because they will be with me studying and for other reasons they will come to know. That leaves you. Beware my warning." By the end of this speech Goyle had gone quite pale, but Malfoy was sneering.

"And how do I know that you can really do those things, that you're really as dangerous as you say?" Malfoy asks with a look of superiority. "Yes you beat me and Goyle, but not them." Draco spat. "A well timed spell could still take you out." Malfoy smirked.

"Draco, for once in your pitiful life have the sense to stay quiet." Asked Snape warningly. Malfoy just sneered. Bela smiled at him and his sneer wavered for a second.

"You would like me to prove to you that I am dangerous?" Bela asked Malfoy sweetly and he nodded. "Would me dueling Snape, and winning, prove to you that I am dangerous?" Malfoy nods and sneers again.

"Why can't you duel Malfoy instead, I have no desire to duel you." Snape growls. Bela smiles.

"Because I would kill him, you, are immortal." Snape growls at this.

"Then I forfeit." Snape says raising an eyebrow to see what Bela will do. Malfoy looks stunned that his Professor would forfeit anything. Bela smiles and shakes her head.

"I do not accept, you're not getting out of this, and you won't purposely lose." Bela says as Snape opens his mouth, probably to say just that. "No, I won't force you to try, but you will try because if you lose I get a favor from you, and if you win you get a favor from me." Bela grins knowing Snape wouldn't give up this chance.

"Anything?" Snape enquires raising an eyebrow to show he doubted it.

"Anything, but you will have to deal with the anger of my friends if your choice is something they dislike… Choose carefully if you win, which you won't." Bela adds this final insult with a wave of her hand as she walks away a bit. Snape seethes, and then visibly calms and starts after her so the duel will be away from the observing party.

"If any of you come to close, you will most likely die, stay back, or don't, I don't really care."

"Of course you do Snape," Snape raised his eyebrows at her questioningly, "okay maybe you don't, but I do." Bela walked over to Snape and held out her hand, "Give me your hand." Snape doesn't and gives Bela a look that said he wasn't going to unless she explained why. Bela sighed. "I need both our blood to create a barrier that our spells cannot pass through, and if need be, I can't physically leave. We'll use more of my blood so you don't get hungry." Snape nods, but bites his own hand instead of giving it to Bela. He leaves a gash that flowed freely under the anticoagulant in his saliva. Bela does the same to her own arm and Snape summons the blood like before, this time though he directs it in a very large circle around both of them and sealing it with a rune. Bela followed the circle Snape was creating and drew small runes at seemingly random intervals in the blood; she finished at the same time as Snape. Both of them went over and touched the closing rune Snape made and the whole circle glowed blue, creating what seemed to be a dome over them. Bela then spit on the rune and it glowed green for a second before returning to a lighter blue.

"Yes, if I get out of control say Fetra and then leave yourself, wait for me to calm down and do not touch the circle." Said Bela giving instructions to Snape.

"I am quite aware as to how a Runed Spell-dome works." Snape glared in his most terrifying way but Bela merely walked to the other end of the bubble and waited.

"Whenever you're ready." She said smiling. Snape didn't even wait to say go.


	5. Chapter 5: The Duel

(I am sorry about the change in Bella's name. Bella to Bela. Also if you want permission to use any of my characters please contact me first, thank you.)

Chapter 5 The Duel

"Devoro!" The purple spell traveled as fast as light and Bella had literally no time to move. The spell hit her and she crouched low waiting for its affects. Nothing seemed to happen. Bella looked at Snape curiously but he just smiled and flicked his wand, a small dash of light flew at Bella very fast and nicked her finger, which started to bleed. Bella stared at Snape again before laughing. Snape continued to smile his very small smile. Bella stopped laughing and looked at her arm.

"Hungry are we?" Asked Snape innocently. Bella cursed as she began to lick her finger. Everyone outside the dome looked on in curiosity, how could this be a harmful spell, it didn't appear to do anything but make her lick her finger. Or so they thought until they heard a loud 'crunch'. They stared in horror as Bella broke off her fingers with her teeth and swallowed them. Bella continued to gnaw at the bleeding hand as Snape looked at her mildly interested.

"You know this won't hurt me." Bella said between gulps of her own blood.

"Then stop eating." Snape said wickedly. Bella's eyes widened as she realized she was still chewing on her arm. They continued to widen until nothing but black iris remained. Bella took her arm out of her mouth and shook it; there was a bloody stump where her hand had been. She growled in pain as bones started to grow out of the stump, followed soon my muscle.

"That was a dirty trick." Bella stated, hurt.

"And that should make it less amusing how?" Asked Snape.

No, I am quite proud." Snape smirked at this and raised his wand as Bella clenched and unclenched her re-grown hand.

"Ferire Maximus!" Snape shouted and a bolt of red light shot towards Bella who moved out of the way.

"Your other spell was faster." Bella stated simply. Snape smirked at her again.

"Ferire Magnum Multissimo." Another bolt of red light shot out of Snape's wand and split into 5 different beams of light each curving and coming at Bella from a different direction. Bella jumped into the air to avoid them and was hit be a beam of white light from a silent spell. She fell straight to the ground.

"What did you do?" Said Bella as she stood up.

"Multiplied your weight by 50 for three seconds, it takes to much energy to hold longer." Snape continued to shoot non-verbal spells in quick concession at Bella, who was now rolling and dodging them as if it were easy. "Multissimo." Snape shouted and suddenly every spell had three duplicates. Twenty-five spells were now headed at Bella, there was no physically possibly way to dodge all of them. Malfoy smirked, as he was proven right when the spells hit. A loud bang filled the air and Bella was…gone. Snape frowned immediately and looked around him frantically. The air glittered with residue from the magical explosion; some settled on Snape making his black cloak looked like it was flecked with snow. Snape continued to look wary, but Malfoy just smirked and started to step into the circle filled with still randomly falling magical dust.

"Stay where you are!" Snape snapped at Malfoy as his foot hovered over the line of blood. Malfoy stepped back and looked confused. "This is not over yet…" whispered Snape, just loud enough for them to hear. The debris was still falling randomly, but the biggest pile seemed to be behind Snape. He stiffened as the pile grew and formed into body that held him around the waste.

"I believe it is over now." The body said as it turned into Bella. The snarl upon Snape's face was terrifying.

"Expeliarmus!" Hissed Snape, and Bella was thrown backward by the force of the spell, she skidded to a halt right before the edge of the circle. "Why have you not changed yet?" Asked Snape curiously as Bella stood up and dusted herself off.

"I want it to be a surprise." Said Bella teasingly.

"They are probably aware by now that you are a vampire." The group outside the circle nodded. Bella sighed.

"Snape say the cage spell, I don't want them to get hurt, however unlikely, and I would prefer them to not be covered in blood." Snape nods and mutters "Fetra." then nods again to indicate that they can continue. Bella smiles and closes her eyes. Snape immediately starts throwing spells at her, but they seem to collide with an oval shaped ward. Each spell that hits the ward bursts in a cloud of fog. Soon the cloud is so thick that Bella can't be seen. Suddenly the fog is blown away and Bella stands up and unfurls wings. Everyone outside the circle takes a step back and gasps. Bella's hair is now longer and pure black, her eyes glowed red, her skin white, and her nails sharp and long. Her wings had reappeared, but bigger and darker, and her ears were as long as a house elf's. Bella smiled and charged Snape moving as fast as a wolf. Snape held out his wand and roars "Domus Impentra!" Bella hits an invisible wall and Snape crosses his arms and raises an eyebrow as she tests the shields strength. Snape frowns and shakes his head as Bella sniffs the ward and then licks it.

Bella mutters "Excitatus." And the wards glow bright before dimming, and then glowing brighter.

"It appears we are at a draw." Says Snape sadly. "Shall we each owe the other one minor favor?" Bella shakes her head and twirls her finger at the dome. A spiral appears nears her and funnels outward as she opens her mouth and the blue-clear energy from the spell rushes into it. The wards around Snape grow thin and move towards Bella before it completely disappears into her mouth. Bella licks her lips and smiles at Snape who looks astounded. "How…"

"Physic vampires feed off energy, sanguine vampires feed off blood, I do both. That spell was made of your energy and had more natural energy than other short spells. Shield spells require continuous energy to be put into them, eventually they are nothing _but_ your energy, and I ate it." Bella explained after she burped softly. Snape looked incredulous. Bella just smiled and walked toward him.

"Domus Impentra." Snape said again.

"Your not trying the same spell again, are you?" Asked Bella shaking her head. Snape snorted in disdain and pointed his wand at the top of his dome.

"Fortis Perma." A silver light exploded from Snape's wand and hit the dome falling down its sides in a cascade of magic. Snape brought his wand down with a thin thread of magic still connecting it to the dome, he pointed his wand at the ground and yelled "Modus Terra!" The thin wisp of magic split and half went into the Earth; green magic spread up the thread and covered the whole dome. Snape now pointed the wand at himself and yelled "Modus Severo. Relashio Severi Clavis Dicere I-Win. Domus Accipio Venter Severi Magia." The last wisp of magic left Snape's wand and attached to him, the dome glowed black and all the threads of magic disappeared. The dome then turned white, and then translucent like moving mist trapped in glass. Snape crossed his arms and smirked at Bella, who stood there open mouthed.

"That… is a _very_ old spell. I see you choose not to enhance it with your blood…" Snape shook his head. "Pity, tell our friends here what that spell does, and why it is rarely used." Bella asked Snape and waved her hand as if giving him the floor. Snape rolled his eyes in utter annoyance at the display of immaturity.

"The spell basically translates to Impenetrable Dome, bound to Earth, bound to Severus, bound to Severus's saying I win, allow Severus's spells passage. To put it another way, this is an impenetrable dome that only will on disappear at by me saying 'I win', and it allows my spells to pass through it. It is not used because the amount of power to erect it kills you, once it is erected though it draws power from the Earth." Snape waves his hand as if the display of power was nothing. "As I am already dead and have more power than a human, I can perform this spell easily." Snape's lip gave the slightest curve upward in satisfaction. Hermione stared in awe, and everyone else looked dumbfounded. Bella smiled.

"It is unfortunate, however, that you chose not to reinforce it with blood, if I was truly hungry I could knock it down easily then, but as I am not, it would be impossible… Without the blood though…." Bella smiled and pulled off her, until now unnoticed, necklace. The small chain sported a metal stick; Bella swung it against the dome and was given a loud pure note. She smiled and listened, but was interrupted by snickers. Snape was actually laughing. Bella frowned, that would not do, a fledgling laughing at its sire…no this would not do at all. Bella held up the pendant in two hands and slowly drew them apart and stopped. The metal in her hands however, continued to grow until a large metal staff grew from it. Bella smiled and hefted the weight from hand to hand before swinging it in circles. When she was done the staff had a thick lump at the top adorned by three spikes going around it horizontally. Bella held the staff near the other end and swung it at the dome; she was rewarded with a loud piercing high note that caused everyone to cover their ears. Bella frowned and held her staff which became a less shiny silver and a darker metallic color, she swung again and this time was rewarded with a low mournful note that thought loud, did not hurt the ears as much.

"You don't honestly think that will break this?" Snape asked her.

"It could if I have to resort to that, I'm going to use it to channel my magic." Bella pressed one of the spikes to the dome and yelled "Infirmus!" The dome grew brighter and did not break. Bella shouted more and more spells until she was satisfied she could not break it.

"We are really at a draw this time, once you admit it and promise me my favor I'll drop the wards." Snape said impatiently. Bella shook her head.

"You do not learn fledgling, do you. I have learned many tricks in my many years." Bella stepped back and held up her staff again and Snape sighed in annoyance. Bella brought it above her head and swung down, the staff turned pure black before hitting the dome. A loud explosion resulted and dust swirled around the room from the gusts of air. When the dust settled Snape stood in the middle of a circle drawn into the ground with a 5-foot deep line. Snape stared, stunned at the fact that his wards were gone; this was physically impossible! As He gathered his will someone grabbed him from behind and wrapped him in wings.

From what the group outside could see Bella had appeared behind Snape closed her wings around him and was not opening them despite the punches and kicks that could be seen hitting her wings. You couldn't see either of them, well you could see Bella's back and her wings but that was it. Suddenly the writing stopped, and Bella slowly opened her wings and turned around holding Snape. Everyone gasped; Bella was holding Snape all right, in her arms and mouth! She was happily sucking on his neck and obviously getting large amounts of blood from a fainted Snape. Her vampiric traits disappeared, her wings, claws, ears, long hair and pale skin vanished, but her eyes remained a deep red.

"Let him go!" Harry yelled at Bella. She looked up at him and held up one finger, Harry trembled in rage, how could she do this to him, he was doing what she told him to. Bella looked at him again and gave him the O-K sign with her hand. "He is obviously not ok! You're draining him dry! You-"

"Harry, look." Hermione told Harry and he relaxed a bit and looked closer at Bella. She was taking Snape's mouth and putting it against her own throat, moments later Snape grabbed onto her and started to return her actions, with more vigor than she had. Bella stopped and let Snape drink before trying to pull him off, he growled loudly. Bella sighed and whacked him upside the head lightly. Snape seemed to stop moving for a second before jumping and brushing himself off as if trying to get rid of some disease. Bella rolled her eyes and waited for him to calm down.

"Why in Merlin's name did you do that?" Snape cried outraged after he had finished straightening his clothes. Bella smiled.

"I know for a fact that the amount of energy needed to cast that spell was more than you had at that moment. Being an old vampire my blood will give you enough energy to prevent you from eating anyone, and then some. Plus you get a power boost for a week." Bella winked at him as if flirting. "Now would you be so kind as to lower the barrier, it's keyed to you." Snape growled in anger but lowered the barrier with a flick of his hand and stalked off to sit down at the table he was when they first entered.

"Now do you believe me? I haven't even shown you half of my powers yet, you are lucky to have seen these and not be dead right now." Bella said as she loomed over Draco Malfoy appearing there as if she had apperated. "In fact you are lucky to have seen me fight and be alive at all…" Bella mused. "Will you go and keep your mouth shut?" Bella asked and both boys nodded, pale faced and sweaty. Bella pointed toward the door and they scurried toward it. It opened just enough for them to squeeze through before slamming shut again. "All your belongings will already be at my house so we have one hour to relax and freshen up before we leave."

"Why can't we just apparate?" Asks Harry.

"Because apparating over long distances is tiring, and it drains ones magic. While I'm sure you could do it Harry, some of us can't without becoming weak. If I'm tired enough my animal instinct take over and my first priority is to regain my lost energy, so the first thing I'll do is look for food. Considering what I am, the closest source of food would be...well, you. So I suggest we take a plane. Besides, I like the little peanut bags." Bella smiles as Snape puts his head in his hands annoyance and the trio stares at her as if she's insane. "Now, the bathroom for the boys is to the left, Snape will show you, Hermione I'll take you to our bathroom. We should really rinse off the sweat before getting on the plane…" Giving each other incredulous looks the trio separates and follows their guide to the bathrooms.

Within an hour they were ready to apparate to the Airport.

The familiar and unpleasant tugging feeling below the naval ended as they arrived at the airport and Harry thought yet again that he really did prefer flying.

"Me too." Bella said startling Harry.

"You read my mind, without legilimens!"

"How astute your observations are Potter," comments Snape icily. "but we really need to move if we are to catch are plane."

"How would you know, it's not like you've ever been on a plane!" Cries Harry, as Ron nods fervently in agreement.

"You're right Potter, I haven't been on a plane, but from my observation anything having to do with muggles takes longer than if it were done by wizards, and we only have half an hour, so _move_ already!" Snape hissed the last words and the trio hurried toward the entrance while Bella walked by slowly by Snape smirking. Snape looked torn between smirking back and fuming.

Entering the ticketing area and Bella went to a machine and took out the prepaid tickets and motioned for them to follow her. They entered the security check and were stopped because it was suspicious they didn't have any carry-ons. Bella went behind a screened area with the guard. A moment later she came out smiling and told them the guard said it was okay to go.

"What did you do?" Asked Snape accusingly.

"Jedi mind trick." Replied Bella as if it were obvious.

"What?" Asked Snape and Ron together. Harry and Hermione laughed, they recognized the quote.

"This is not the group you are looking for." Bella held her hands in front of Snape's eyes and waggled her fingers. Snape rolled his eyes and asked again what she was blathering about. Hermione explained the concept of Star Wars and the force. Snape looked slightly intrigued and started comparing the power to wandless magic and vampire charisma. Hermione nodded and agreed that that was what Bella did; she used her vampire charisma to charm the guard. Bella told them to hush or talk about this as if it were a video game. This confused Snape more so he decided to stay quiet for the moment.

Snape seemed to scorn the many shops selling souvenirs and food. Waiting in the line to get their luggage checked the guards looked at them suspiciously when they had no carry-ons except for Bella's backpack and a bag carrying their cloaks because they were now attired in muggle clothing. Hermione, Harry, and Bella were accustomed to wearing muggle clothing, and Ron was familiar with it having been with Harry and Hermione in the muggle world for a year or two. Snape however tried to go out of the wizarding world as little as possible and disliked muggle wear. Fortunately, or perhaps unfortunately, Bella had gotten clothes for him. He was wearing black jeans, black boots, a black trench coat, and a black silk collared shirt with buttons. All of theses he could deal with, but Bella had also somehow forced this powerful wizard to wear black sunglasses, a belt with a skull on it, and a couple of rings with emeralds as green as the Slytherin banner. Snape looked murderous.

Everyone else looked normal, jeans and a regular t-shirt, a jacket and tennis shoes. Bella on the other hand looked similar to Snape. Black jeans, black small boots, black trench coat, and white t-shirt that said bite me. She also had leather bracelets, silver rings, a hoop earring, and a necklace. People were looking at her with quick glances while she smiled back at them and they either returned the gesture or frowned and walked faster. At one point Bella held up her hand and asked if anyone was hungry, everyone said they were. Bella bought three pretzels, some chocolate, water, fruit, and gum for the plane ride. She also bought some magazines for them to read. Ron and Harry found these fascinating as neither had read them before, Ron because he was a wizard and didn't read muggle magazines and Harry because the Dursley's had never bought him anything he didn't absolutely need. Hermione skimmed through them and asked if she could buy a book on mythology, she wanted to compare the muggle views and fantasies to wizard fact. Bella insisted that Hermione save her money and bought it for her. She bought Snape a soda and added three drops of red liquid from a vial to it before giving it to Snape, who looked pleasantly surprised for a second before going back to grumbling about muggle inadequacies. They continued walking to their terminal, B8, and reached it in another five minutes. Everyone sat down to wait while Bella checked their tickets in. Snape was sitting next to a young girl with blond hair and a pink dress. He sneered at her as the lollipop she was licking got stuck in her hair. But when she started to cry he grimaced and leaned over.

"Shhh. Shhhhh, it's alright, hold still." Snape said as he commenced to use his long fingers, dexterous from fixing ingredients for potions, to untangle the long golden curls from the lollipop. The girl sniffled and smiled at Snape before hugging him and running over to her mother at the check-in line pointing at Snape. The mother looked and smiled at Snape, who surprisingly smiled back. Ron, Hermione, and Harry, looked astonished, it was inconceivable, Snape being nice! They stared at Snape as if he had turned into a flobberworm. When the incident was over Snape put his head in his hands and grumbled to himself. "Thank God that brat stopped crying."

"That's more like the Snape we know." Ron whispered to the other two who nodded their heads in agreement as Snape snarled at them. Bella walked over and looked at the four of them, opened her mouth to as if to ask a question, then decided against it. She shook her head and smiled before addressing them.

"We board the plane in ten minutes, if anyone has to go to the bathroom go now. If anything goes wrong during the flight tell Snape, he's better at subtle" Bella looks around carefully before whispering, "magic than I am, and he's a potions master, he'll have a remedy for almost anything no doubt. If you get bored tell me and I'll get you something to do from my backpack, there's a charm on it, infinite space inside, I'm sure you've seen it before. Now rush off the Hermione I trust you to come back quickly and know where the bathrooms are, Harry, you know what muggle bathrooms are like, show Ron. Hurry, and be back quickly, you have nine minutes." Everyone rushed off towards the bathrooms leaving Bella and Snape alone. Bella opened her mouth to say something but Snape snarled at her and she closed her mouth and smiled. She talked anyway. "I have something for you to do on the plane that might peak your interests." Bella handed Snape a book, he took it, mildly interested. "This is a book on modern and ancient medicines, you might get some ideas from the new compounds and minerals they are using today. You'll also see some similarities between these medicines and the ones you commonly use. If you were to help improve on the modern medicines you could make a boatload of money if the ingredients were readily available to the manufacturers, muggle manufacturers. Think about it."

Snape had started ignoring her as soon as she had handed him the book and his long nose was buried deep in the pages his eyes running back and forth quickly. Bella smiled; satisfied that he was content for now. The three came back from the bathrooms then and sat down to wait. They chatted quietly.

Five minutes later they were on the plane and being seated. They had a row to themselves because of the size of the plane they all sat together. The three first timers figured out how to buckle the seatbelts with relative ease and relaxed waiting for take off. Bella handed them each a piece of gum and made them listen to the emergency instructions. Ron looked nervously out of the window as Harry put on the headphones and listened to some music. Harry was ecstatic. He was on an airplane! With his friends and they were going to train to be aurors! Snape was alive, their teacher was, interesting to say the least, and he was alive! Voldemort was dead, it was his life and he was enjoying it. Harry sighed and put his arms behind his head. He was asleep before the plane left the ground.

Ron however was amazed, and terrified. He kept bombarding Hermione with questions on how this could stay in the air without magic until Bella pulled a book out of her backpack that explained flight and gravity and momentum. Ron read diligently because he knew his father would want to hear about this, as it was something he had always wanted to know. Ron soon go bored though and started looking around at the plane, he changed the angle of the seat, the music, the tray, so many times that eventually Bella gave him a camera to take pictures with to send to his dad. Ron calmed down only after Snape gave him an icy glare because of the noise he was making. Ron looked out the window at the scenery.

Hermione was, as usual, reading. Deeply immersed in her book she didn't notice when Ron grabbed her arm in terror during the take off, until he squeezed so hard that she let out a squeak of pain. She glared at Ron, but after realizing his terror, she held his hand and helped turn his terror into fascination. But the endless bombardment of questions started to tire even Hermione out, until she was saved by Bella giving Ron the book. Hermione went immediately back to her own book.

Snape during the whole scene was sitting with his book in his lap, glaring at the women staring at him in the seat in the next isle. The woman didn't seem fazed at all by his icy glare and continued to wink and smile at him. Bella turned and whispered in his ear.

"She's flirting with you," Bella whispered to Snape's shock. "and no, you can't curse, scare, eat, enchant or kill her." Snape's face did something resembling a pout. He decided to ignore her and went back to his book. Ten minutes later he looked at the lady and she saw him do so, she winked at him again.

Snape turned to Bella and whispered, "I can't take this, help me get rid of this annoyance." Bella smiled and held his hand, then pecked him on the cheek. The lady immediately looked away.

"Happy now?" Bella asked.

"No I am not. You violated my personal space and broke the agreement we made! I will not even go into what your husband might do if he possibly found out."

"He trusts me, he'll understand, and better me than her right?" Snape looked back at nearly anorexic women in black eyeliner and lipstick and shuddered in agreement before going back to his book.

Bella smiles and put on some headphones relaxing and leaning back against the seat before unwisely falling asleep.

"Is this really edible?" Asks Snape as the airplane food is put in front of them.

"Yes it is, deal with it." Says Bella as she lets more drops from the vial fall onto the airplane food. Ron grumbles loudly. "Look, when we get to my house I'll have the Count help me make a nice roast."

"The Count?" asks Harry who had awoken some time earlier.

"Oh yes, I never told you about how…the _story_ about how Severus became a vampire." Everyone immediately perked up to listen. "Well you see Atren" Bella points at herself to show that that would represent her, "owed Dumbledore a really big favor, no I will not say what, and to repay him he asked me to come to the aid of whomsoever activated a certain ring." Bella pointed to a ring she was wearing and an identical one Snape was wearing. "Both rings would light up when activated, and would act as a portkey to deliver me to that person. What Albus did not tell me is that the ring is activated only when the wearer is near death, so when Atren was brought to Snape the only way I-she could fulfill the promise was to turn Snape. And that's the basic gist of it."

"That doesn't make sense, yo-Atren isn't a vampire." Hermione says blatantly.

"She's not?" Asks Ron.

"No, she is not. She, like Potter here, is too good to be normal in any way." Snape says annoyed. "She is both a vampire as well as a werewolf, and was born, not made, even though that shouldn't be possible. She is also over a couple thousand years old, though she still looks like she's 25, is nigh invulnerable and immortal, etc, etc, etc." Snape grumbles before going back to his book. Harry looks at Bella in horror and anger.

"If you're that powerful why didn't you kill Voldemort!?!" Harry nearly yells. Everyone besides Bella flinched; even after his death Voldemort's name caused fear. Bella looks at Harry sadly, but before she could say anything she is cut off.

"And why didn't you save my brother!" Cried Ron.

"Ron, I'm sorry, I can't save everyone, the only person I knew to save was the person Dumbledore sent me to save, and before you ask how Dumbledore could choose Snape over your brother I will say that he was positive Snape was going to die, he was bound to be killed by either Voldemort or someone who didn't know he was on their side. He guessed that Snape would die and show Harry his memories, that is why he gave me the ring, he said the person I would find should have a second chance, and something about him still having work to do…Dumbledore didn't know your brother would die…I am truly sorry…" Bella reached over and squeezed Ron's hand, he pulled away, but nodded that he understood. Bella then turned to Harry. "The prophecy, he was immortal to all but you, and before the prophecy, I would have probably been controlled by him, though he would have a hard time killing me, he was not called one of the most powerful wizards for nothing. His imperius charm would have worked on me, and the things he could have made me do, I shudder to think. I was told to stay away by Albus Dumbledore, don't ask how I know him, everyone knows Dumbledore, and him being who he was I listened to him. If you want his side of the story you'll have to ask his portrait, I have one of his at my house, he thought you might want to talk to him. If you want Snape's side," Snape looked at them scathingly as if daring them to ask, "you'll have to coerce him into telling you. It will probably involve a lot of blood Harry, just to let you know, as I have heard you are not the type to let a challenge go by, and Hermione I have heard your not one to let an chance at knowledge, you should heed this too, and Ron, you are curious as well so beware." Snape had perked up at this and was looking at the trio knowing this was true and one could almost see ideas running through his head.

"Professor-" Hermione starts cautiously.

"Three pints each." Snape states his nose still in his book.

"What?" Asks Hermione for once confused. Snape casts a nonverbal muffliato holding his wand beneath his trench coat.

"My price for telling you is three pints of blood each." Snape states again as if were the most obvious thing in the world.

"But that's enough blood loss to kill a person!" Hermione cries.

"Being a Potions Master I am quite capable of brewing a simple blood replenishing potion." Snape says scathingly as Hermione sinks into her seat. Harry immediately says "Deal." Startling Snape and moments later the others nod in agreement, Ron a little hesitantly. Snape nods and turns to Bella.

"Tell them what you will do if they break their promise." Snape says to Bella in a matter-of-fact way. Now Bella turns to the trio and looks at them for second before beginning her short speech.

"Imagine if you will the most awkward moment you can think of," all three nod, "add a small dash of pain, and multiply this little mixture by ten. That is your punishment, unless of course you ask for something else, which won't be any better mind you." All three pale slightly at these words and Snape smirks as he admires Bella's handiwork. Snape then puts down his book, his nose still being in it the whole time and checks the muffliato before nodding and opening his mouth to begin the story. Hermione interrupts.

"You have to in turn promise to not obliviate, or erase of memories in anyway, after the story." Snape mutters profanities under his breath before addressing Hermione.

"Well versed in diplomatic loopholes are we Miss Granger, hmm? Fine, I agree to these terms on the account that if I do not I will lose 6 pints of free fresh blood. Since I assume that Bella would put the same punishment on me if I were to break my part of the deal you do not have to doubt that I will break my promise. Now if I may continue?" Snape leans back in his seat hands crossed on one leg. "I doubt I will ever forget that day, it was the day the Dark Lord fell, the happiest day of my life, if I hadn't died not hours earlier."


	6. Chapter 6: Story Time

Chapter 6 Story Time

"My last thoughts as that snake came towards me were to crudely put it 'Let Potter scare this abomination of a man till he realizes his imminent death and cries like the pathetic fool he is." Falling down and seeing Potter I knew that he needed the last piece of the puzzle, somehow I immersed my memories in my blood and made a bottle manifest, allowing Potter to scoop this up and leave for the pensive in Dumbledore's office. Knowing my job was done I let my body slip into a state of near death unconsciousness to wait for death or the small chance that someone would save me. As it would happen someone did save me, but now I think I should let Bella describe the next part as I can barely remember it." Snape spat the last words, apparently angry that he should not be able to remember any part of his life.

"Well the same time this was happening" began Bella as attention turned to her, even Snape seemed to be listening discretely. "I was eating dinner with the count when my ring started glowing. The count knew of my promise to Dumbledore and nodded knowing I'd want him to tell my friends and family where I was. I then waited for the portkey to take affect. Not ten seconds later I was standing in front of a very pale, tall, dark, and bloody man that was near death. I knew this instantly, and instantly I was pissed at Albus and myself; myself, because I should have known better than to say yes to one of Albus's schemes, and Albus, because he knew I didn't want to turn anyone but he knew this would happen and knew this would be the only way I could save the man in front of me. I had to consent in order to keep my promise.

"I turned him, though it disturbed me how little blood the man had left, it was like his wounds wouldn't heal, I know now it was from the snake venom. I quickly slit my wrist to transfer the blood that would bring him back, he latched on immediately and I felt his growing canines pierce into my skin, it hurt a lot, but it hurt even more when I tried to wrench away and I couldn't. I couldn't even use my control as his sire to make him let go he was so thirsty, I finally just had to give in and wait. It took three minutes before he came back to his own mind, during which I did some strong yet crude magic to connect him with his quickly fleeing soul, so that he could find it again and it wouldn't go… wherever souls go. Then I just waited. Finally Snape's mind returned and he spluttered the blood he was drinking out and started to yell, well more of that deadly whisper I find so charming…" Ron looks at Bella as if she's insane, and asks Harry how anyone could find Snape death whisper charming. "I think Snape can take over from here, it will be interesting to hear his side." Snape scowls as Bella leans back in her seat folding her hands across her lap and smiling. Snape snorts in disdain.

"Very well. I remember that I felt a hot liquid going down my throat, Miss Granger, I am doing you a favor, I am explaining the turning process in detail since I know you love to understand these things, you will owe me another pint for this though…" Snape mutters the last bit while glaring at Hermione who nods sheepishly and says a quiet "Thank you" before Snape nods and continues as if nothing had happened. "The liquid caused a burning sensation throughout my whole body, it felt like a mild cruciatus for a moment before dulling to a slight tingling sensation not unlike the one caused by pepper up potions. The liquid pouring into my throat for some reason gathered all my attention; I realized it tasted quite delicious and enticing. My body immediately started to become addicted to the unknown substance, and though I would like to deny it, my mind was partial to the flavor as well. My mind, which I hadn't noticed until then that it was clouded, became clear, and I opened my eyes and realized that an unknown woman's arm was in my mouth and that I was drinking her blood. I of course spit out the remaining liquid and proceeded to put distance between my self and the now smirking woman.

"I immediately asked her what she was doing and to state her purpose here. She said that Dumbledore had asked her to save the life of whomever the ring portkey took her to, and save the life by whatever means necessary. She told me she was a sort of vampire and that she had turned me. I was, of course, outraged. I had been cheated of peace once again. Seeing the look on my face she said that I didn't have to, couldn't even, return to the world I had known. She told me that a select few, and her friends and family with whom I would be staying, would know that I was alive. McGonagall, the cursed woman, was one who would need to know, along with other key members of this order she had heard about. She said that in the meantime though, probably to distract me from my growing rage at Dumbledore and her, I would need to feed unless I wanted to kill someone I did not. I refused outright to feed upon a living creature. The lady sighed and entered my mind, without legilimency, and I could not stop her. She took control of my mind and forced me to walk behind her. She also took control of my mouth so I could not yell profanities at her, but I still muttered them in my head. Apparently she heard them and turned to me and told me to shut up in a menacing voice that awoke a feeling I had not felt for a while, a slight bit of fear. Since I did not care if I lived, I did not fear death, and therefore did not fear the Dark Lord as much as I should have, I did not fear pain, because by that time I was as accustomed to it as I was accustomed to brewing a simple sleeping draught. By now I have become quite accustomed to the looks of menace she throws at people though." The trio looked at Bella, someone who could scare Snape, even only slightly, was someone to be respected. Bella smiled at them, and winked as Snape scowled again.

"Yes, continuing with the story, I was forced to follow her to a clearing, where apparently the Dark Lord was waiting for Potter. I heard heartbeats and smelled blood, but the lady's hold on my body prevented me from dashing into the clearing and betraying my new life. I wanted them so badly, I didn't, couldn't register that this was not who I was, what I, myself, really wanted. Some small part of me knew this, but I somehow didn't care. The lady screamed and the Dark Lord and the Death Eaters looked in our direction, the Dark Lord pointed to a lower ranking Death Eater to check out the noise. The lady, Bella, backed away from me and released her hold when the young man was deep enough into the forest to not be seen. I jumped on him and nearly tore his head off in my haste to get at the blood. My hand clamped over his mouth so he could not scream." Snape pulled his short beard and closed his eyes remembering the next events, when his eyes opened his pupils were slightly dilated and his irises red. He continued.

"When I felt the blood and tasted it in my mouth, I cannot describe the feeling of ecstasy. Having a small amount of vampire heritage through my mother's side I had known the taste and pleasures of drinking blood, and yes the lady's blood was wonderfully exquisite, but the blood flowing into my mouth caused pure euphoria. It was all the feelings I hadn't let myself feel in years rolled into one moment of perfection. I felt safe, relaxed, calm …free. The moment I let go of the man's body, a relative of Knott's I believe, I wanted more. Bella had to, yet again, stop me from running into the opening to satisfy my hunger. Luckily the Dark Lord had sent in another Death Eater to investigate the first one's absence. The second time was exactly like the first, only more savory and slow, I took my time, and came back to reality sometime during the middle of the feeding, but I didn't care, it tasted, it _felt,_ too satisfying. I unceremoniously dropped the second body, I don't know who it was, and crept up to watch the Death Eaters before me, hoping another would be sent to investigate. Bella allowed me to sneak up, knowing I was mostly in control now. Part of me was sickened by what I had just done, but the rest of me just reveled in my new life.

"The Dark Lord was about to send another, higher ranking, Death Eater to investigate, when Potter appeared. Potter's appearance completely ridded my mind of any thoughts of eating. I watched in horror and anger as Potter allowed himself to be killed. I knew that this would have to happen, Dumbledore had told me. That did not mean, however, that I had to like it. When Potter fell to the ground Bella had to restrain me from barging into the field to kill the Dark Lord. She told me to listen. I did, though angrily not knowing what I was listening for. All my thoughts were on the Potter boy. I started to hear a drumbeat; it was rather irritating, until I realized it was Potter's heart. My first thought was 'Thank Merlin!' My second, 'That boy is either extremely lucky, or protected by some higher power, for he is certainly a medical miracle!'" Even Harry couldn't stop the chuckle from escaping at this piece of information, though everyone stopped giggling under Snape's murderous glare.

"Of course I followed the group back to the castle, along with Bella who showed me how to stay hidden in the shadows. I could only watch as Potter battled the Dark Lord, and won in exactly the way Albus had intended. I could not enjoy the festivities however as I was supposed to be dead, and Potter would question my appearance and others would probably try to kill me on sight. The only thing that surprised me was when Potter decided not to use the Elder Wand; I know I would have. But I must say it was very noble of him.

"Bella told me to retrieve what I wanted to bring with me because we were going back to her house. I went to my dungeon and found the belongings I wished to take and left. On my way back I met Albus in one of the portraits and he told me that Bella needed to try for the Auror tester and trainer of group C12 the following year. I wished to converse with him more but he abruptly left the painting. I left and relayed this information to Bella. She should take over the story from here." Snape said evilly. Bella sighed.

"Well, I guess I'll just continue where he left off. I have come to know that anything Albus says a person should do, barring a favor to him, is worth doing. So I knew that I had to delay my trip back home long enough to apply for the position. Severus showed me to the public entrance of the ministry, he could obviously not come in with me so he waited in a nearby ally; well I more trapped him there and then told him to perform a ward that would make people afraid to enter the alley. I typed in the correct sequence of numbers and went down. I procured a button and was then asked to turn over my wand. I told the man I did not have one. He asked me if I was a squib and I said no, he asked me if I had lost my wand, and I said no. He asked me if had broken it and I told him I don't own a wand. He looked at me suspiciously and called for two aurors. When they appeared they searched me for a wand, and obviously did not find one. They checked my magical signature and found it to be present. They continued to run tests and scans and I waited patiently for 15 minutes, until someone stabbed me with a needle. I couldn't help it and growled at them, and they saw my fangs.

"The idiots immediately started casting spells at me and I just stood there until they stopped. When they did I was encased in a block made of metal. I waited and looked at them and they asked me what I was here for and why they shouldn't kill me now. I told them I was asked to apply for being a tester for Auror group C12 next year. They asked me why they should let me, I was a monster, didn't have a wand, and had no qualifications. I smirked at them and broke the metal casing before banishing it. They looked at me and I raised an eyebrow at them. I told them I was asked to apply for this position by Dumbledore's portrait and they immediately calmed down a bit, not enough to put away their wands though. They told me I obviously had the qualifications, but they wanted to make sure I was telling the truth; I told them that, being basically some type of undead, I'm immune to veritaserum. They didn't believe me and I told them to administer it and ask an obvious question. They did and asked me what time it was showing me a clock that said 1:30 Pm. I told them it said 12:00 Am. They believed me, but now didn't know how to check if I was telling the truth. I told them to ask Dumbledore's portrait discretely and contact me by the address he would give them if they asked. I nodded and took my leave. I retrieved Severus and we used the ring portkeys to travel back to my house. We got him settled in and… well that's basically the end of that story…" Bella smiled at them, but it quickly went away at the sight of their faces. The trio was awed, but scared too.

"Snape tell them that I would never hurt them, they trust you." Snape sniffed and went back to reading. "Snape…" Snape sighed and put down his book.

"Very well. In the short period of time I have been acquainted with Bella she has never hurt anyone who did not deserve it, and did not hurt them more then they deserved it. The only other time I have seen her hurt people is on Halloween when she pulls stunts with her family, it looks painful but the painkilling potions they have are so strong it's unearthly. I am loathe to say this, but Bella is a good person, and… I trust her." Snape looked uncomfortable at this open display of emotion and went back to reading. The group looked at Bella and then Snape not knowing what to do. Hermione decided this by canceling the muffliato spell and pulling out her book. Everyone else found something to do soon after.


	7. Chapter 7: Home Sweet Home

Chapter 7 Home Sweet Home

The trio still had three hours to go before they landed, and they were getting fidgety with impatience. Hermione especially seemed to have something on her mind; she kept glancing at Snape then at Bella. Finally Snape asked her what the hell she was doing. She sighed and put up another muffliato.

"I was thinking, -"

"Are you implying that you actually stop thinking once in a while Miss Granger?" Snape asked before Bella whacked upside the head jokingly. Snape snarled but remained quiet.

"Thank you Bella." continued Hermione; Bella waved her hand to say it was nothing. "If you turned Snape why is he different then you?"

"In what way?" asked Bella as if it wasn't terribly important.

"Well he's just a vampire right?"

"No, he's a werewolf too, but he's not as powerful as me, he will be over the years, but he was turned, not born so that's the main difference. I don't really know about anything else, I'm the only one of my kind that I know of, as the circumstances of my creation were highly improbable. We don't really know much about it as I refuse to endanger others by experimenting with blood and such."

Hermione looked pleased that Bella thought of others first but disappointed that it hindered the pursuit of knowledge. "What about the Count? You started the story as if he were more involved."

"I just used him as an excuse to tell you, but better you learn about him now than later." said Bella nonchalantly.

"Who is the Count?" asked Hermione.

"A very old friend of mine and Dumbledore's, he's been my friend longer though, longer than Dumbledore's been alive defiantly. You have probably heard of him, it'll be a great surprise when you see him."

"A great understatement on your part Bella." Muttered Snape as Bella glared at him. Hermione sighed and canceled the muffliato to prevent any arguments, and then went back to reading.

Three hours, a horrid movie, and three stomach calming potions later they were on the ground and walking toward the exit.

"Bella! I haf come to pick you and your guests up! Severus, you look vonderful, enjoy the flight back?" Snape gave a nod to the middle-aged man coming towards them, and Bella embraced him for a moment before letting the group get a good look at him. When she let go they could see that the man was dressed in a black business suit with black shoes and a cane the man looked very rich. "Come, let us walk and talk. Bella since you haf brought back three new guests I vill assume they passed the testing and are here to stay for ahvile." Turning to look at Hermione the Count continued speaking. "You must be Hermione Granger; I was told that visdom practically flows through your veins." Hermione flushed, not knowing if she should be thanking for a compliment of be afraid. "You must be Ron Veasly, a good strong childe, a good heart. Oh, and you-" The man's eyes went wide for a moment when he spotted Harry; he sniffed the air and smiled before looking back at him. "You must be Harry Potter, I have heard many things about you, my house is in Europe actually but I find myself here more oft than not." The man shook hands with each of them in turn and by that time they were outside.

"Let us find a nice deserted part in the parking lot so we may apparate home. I vill take Harry, you can take Ron, and Severus vill take Hermione." The tall man said. Bella laughed.

"I saw the way you were looking at Harry, Vladimir. No, no, there is no way you are taking Harry." Hermione's eyes opened a bit at the name Vladimir, apparently she recognized it; Harry would have to ask her later.

"You do not think haf control over myself?" asked the Count sadly.

"No, I know you have perfect control; I also know you are an evil bastard." Bella retorted. The Count smiled.

"You know me too vell, fine ve vill apparate together." Bella nodded and held Hands with Ron and Hermione, while Snape put his hand on Harry's shoulder. Moments later they were in front of what looked like a very old mansion in the middle of some suburban part of the U.S. Bella, the Count and Severus walked up to the house ignoring the trio's staring. Before Bella could put the key in the door though it burst open and she was caught in a tangle of arms as a young girl dressed in black jeans and a tee practically tackles her to the ground.

"Sara, hello, good to see you too, now please get up you're getting my new clothes dirty." The girl slowly got up and took her attention to the Count who she gave a quick hug and then pounced on Severus.

"Pleeeeeaaaasseeee help me with my brewing! Agatha's got me working on a potion that I doubt even _you_ know it's so old and complicated!" Snape brushed the girl off of himself and started to drag her inside.

"We'll see about that." He smirked and muttered before Bella grabbed him on the shoulder shaking her head and smiling.

"We need to introduce my daughter to our guests first. Sara, this is Harry, Ron, and Hermione, I'm training them as a favor to Dumbledore. Guys, this is my daughter Sara, the one I ripped in half." Ron stared at the girl, her blonde hair riddled with black and her skin pale. She was in amazing shape, and obviously had no stitches to cover up scars from being torn in half. She extended her hand to Ron.

"Hi, as you can see, I'm quite alive and well, so stop bugging Bella please." Ron blushed. Sara turned to Snape and pouted. "Can we stay for a bit, I want to see their reaction to the house and people, I remember mine." Sara smiled as they walked inside.

"Lou! Meet our guests and get your ass down here!" There was a rumbling on the stairs and a young man ran at top speed into Bella licking her face and howling with joy. Two wolf-like dogs followed him. "Lou! Calm down! Bad Boy! Stop it or I'll have Severus give you the wolfsbane potion, I know you hate that." Lou looked down and gave her one quick kiss before looking at his horrified guests.

"You don't take the wolfsbane potion!" asked Hermione horrified.

"Don't have to; my Bella makes sure of that. A potion made with her blood has the same effect. I don't really understand it; only Agatha, who created the potion, does…It makes my brain hurt trying to figure it out." Snape sneered at Lou who growled back.

"Both of you! Behave! Honestly, I feel like our guests are more mature than you at the moment." Snape look horrified at the thought of his former students being more mature than him. "Anyway, Lou, these are the trainees, Ron and Hermione Weasley, and Harry Potter. Harry, Ron, Hermione, this is my husband Lou, a regular werewolf; we've been married for about….400 years. It's our anniversary next Friday." Bella smiled happily as Lou planted a kiss on her cheek.

"That's impossible! How would he be immortal?" Hermione asked incredulously. "A lot of people in this house are in some way immortal. I'm undead…ish, and Snape as well as the Count are undead. Lou drank some potion of unknown origin and nearly died, only to be blessed with long levity afterward. Other residents have some secret or spell or something. Then of course ghosts are, well, ghosts. Agatha… well she's just a weird." Bella shrugged as if it didn't really matter to her.

A small boom echoed in the house, and one of the windows in the attic blew open and billowed out black smoke.

"I am Not weird!" A voice from the blown open window yelled, between numerous coughs. "I prefer to think, cough, think of myself as eccentric, or cough, visionary, but Not WEIRD!" With that statement the smoke billowing from the window was forcefully expelled and the window closed with such force that the resulting noise set off another explosion in the room. Loud curses emanated from the now broken window.

"Uhm, yes. That's Agatha;" said Bella with a touch of annoyance, "She is our resident witch, eccentric, grandmother, and nutcase." At this there was another bang from the uppermost window, followed by more curses. "She also likes potions, and-" Bella was interrupted by what was left of the window falling with a crash meters behind her, "experimenting… I think we better go inside before the attic falls down again." Ron's eyes went wide.

"What does she mean, again?" he asked Sara, who just smiled. As they walked into the house Sara asked them if they knew who the Count really was. Ron and Harry said no, the Count raised an eyebrow at Hermione and she pointed to the emblem on his chest before smiling. The counts eyes sparkled in a way not unlike Dumbledore's, but with more menace. Bella smiled and asked if Hermione would like to see their room, Hermione said yes, and Sara said she'd come as she'd be able to hear the boys reaction anyway. All three climbed the stairs and made their way to Sara's room, which Hermione would share. They were halfway up the stairs before they heard a loud scream, Sara chuckled and Hermione looked fairly smug.

"So, what is the Count's full title?" Hermione asked.

"I thought you knew who he was…" Sara smiled.

"I do, but a title can be changed in a couple thousand years." Hermione smiled and Sara laughed.

"You'll have to ask my mom for that." Hermione looked at Bella as she opened the door to Sara's, and now Hermione's, rooms.

"His full title is Count Sam Vladimir Dracul, my, Sara's, and now your, teacher and hopefully friend. He is also a Guardian of the Magic Sanctuary." Bella waved her hand to indicate that meant the house. Hermione smiled and they all started to enter the room, they stopped when Bella stood blocking the entranceway in front of them. They turned around to see what she was looking at. An annoyed Severus Snape, followed by a grinning Harry, had come up the stairs silently, looking completely miffed, if not somewhat amused.

"Weasley fainted." Snape stated as Hermione burst into laughter and Sara guffawed, Snape look repulsed by this outward display of emotion. "Sara, I would like to take a look at this potion as soon as possible, I will not tolerate time wasting." Snape said quietly and glared at Sara. Sara, however, seemed immune to the stare that had scared so many students to the point of tears; she merely nodded and tugged Hermione into her room.

"This is my bed, that's yours, that's my-our wardrobe. That's it really; I am quite willing to share everything that's in here." Hermione merely nodded but was still staring at the room. The walls were painted with mural of a sun setting over many different places turning into a black night sky, until on the ceiling stars are visible. There was a nice bathroom, a mini fridge, a window seat, a bookcase, shelves of items, and two beds, one with blood red sheets and black pillows and one with Gryffindor colors. Hermione smiled.

"It's very nice. Thank you for sharing you're room…but why can't I sleep with Ron, he is my husband." Hermione said happily.

"Because you will not have time to focus on relationships and putting you in the same room will make you notice the lack of time spent together and will most likely cause fights. Also, you will need your energy for training and will most likely fall asleep as soon as you hit the bed." Bella commented from the hallway as they came back out. Hermione nodded and asked if she could come with Sara and look at this potion. "You'll have to ask Severus and Sara, it's there decision not mine, besides I should go down to check on the boys now…it's been to quiet." Bella hurried down the stairs to make sure the Ron was in one piece.

"You have a nice room Hermione, hope mine's as good as yours." muttered Harry. Sara assured him it was and was about to show him when Snape stepped in.

"You have dawdled long enough; you will show me this potion now, Potter, Granger, you may accompany me." Sara grinned at Snape's announcement and led them down the stairs, past a fainted Ron whom Bella was trying to wake, and to a door that they hadn't noticed previously. Sara opened the door and they climbed down a long flight of stairs that ended in a dungeon-like room that was quite similar to Snape's classroom. The only difference was that was that one side of the large dungeon was covered in plants of all shapes and sizes. Apparently they had enchanted the dungeon to allow all sorts of potion ingredients to grow. Snape was in his element here.

Sara handed him a book and he looked at the components of the potion, his eyes grew wide.

"This is extremely volatile, not to mention unstable at many points… and you were supposed to make this?" Snape looked at Sara as if it were insane to let her anywhere near the book. Sara nodded.

"I think Agatha is really meaning to test you, she knew I wouldn't do this without your help, and then that you wouldn't let me help… She's testing you, not me." Sara grinned as Snape set down the book and lit the fire beneath the cauldron.

"Go get the needed ingredients, Granger, you may assist in preparing them, Potter, you may get the ingredients that are not to be used fresh, or are not plants." Snape read off the list of ingredients and Harry and Sara went to work gathering, while Hermione stood wide eyed at the list she had just heard.

"P-professor…"

"Yes, I know, now do be quiet." Hermione closed her mouth and set to dicing the bat wings she had been handed while Snape added powdered unicorn horn, bicorn horn, and dragon teeth. Sara picked fresh wolfsbane, thyme, aloe vera root, nightshade flower, and other plants. Harry handed a bottle of powdered silver to Snape, who poured it into the potion in a clockwise spiral, stirring counterclockwise at the same time. Snape held out his hand and the diced bat wings were put in it, he inspected them closely before putting them into the cauldron. He stirred clockwise, and then counter clockwise, 10 times each before making the fire beneath hotter. Snape then motioned everyone out of the way while he set up 20 different ingredients on the workbench in a certain order. He went down the table dicing, grinding, measuring, pouring, and preparing the ingredients. He gave the potion one stir and then starting at the middle of the ingredient laden table, he grabbed two ingredients and put them in the cauldron, stirred, then left for two more, and two more. Before long he was moving to fast that even Hermione lost track of what he was doing, the only indication that something was actually being prepared was the occasional bubbling or change in the potion. It turned black, then green, then silver, purple, black, white, then clear. Snape stopped moving three minutes later and looked at the book describing the potion; he nodded and then looked at the last line, before turning the page to read the final instructions, his eyes widened momentarily.

"Potter, Miss Granger, Sara, come here. Accio knife." Sara walked toward Snape without hesitation, but Hermione and Harry stayed back. "I'm not going to hurt you for Merlin's sake, for the potion to be stable it requires the blood of three individuals, I cannot donate as I am dead, and need to provide the final ingredient." Sara took the knife from Snape before he could stop her and slit her small finger and let three drops fall into the cauldron before handing the knife to Hermione, who followed suit. Harry did the same. Each time a drop hit the potion it hissed small bubbles rose in the water like potion. Snape threw healing spells at each of their fingers before going back to the potion.

"The potion is old enough for its purpose to have been lost; therefore, I will be the one testing it." Harry started to protest. "Quiet Potter!" Harry closed his mouth. "Potter, I'm already dead, pain means nothing after my years of service to the Dark Lord, and we have capable healers here. In the case that it does kill me…I am quite disposable; you, are not." Snape threw a full body bind spell on Harry so he wouldn't interfere and continued working on the potion.

Hermione looked sad. "It's for safety Harry…really." Hermione whispered to him.

Severus stirred in half circles, and then stirred so fast the center of the potion looked like a whirlpool. The stirring technique changed so many times even Hermione couldn't keep track, mostly because it was hard to imagine there were so many ways to simply stir a potion. Finally Snape brought the fire down to a simmer to let the potion cool for 5 minutes. No one spoke, no one moved; they only looked at the potion. Two minutes later Snape stepped up and pulled out one of his own hairs and dropped it into the cauldron, the potion turned pink. Snape then, to Hermione's surprise and disgust, spat into the potion, which was now a blood red. The potion seemed to move, silver wisps swimming through the now thick dark red potion. Snape read the instructions one more time.

"Drink one… it's smudged…" Snape took one cup from the shelf and dipped it into the potion and filled it to the brim. He quickly tipped back his head, held his nose, and poured the potion down his throat, obviously expecting a bad taste. His eyes widened in surprise and he looked down at the goblet and licked his lips. "I…I think I need another cup… to… ascertain the effects of the potion." Snape went over to the cauldron and bent over to dip the cup back in.

"P-professor? Maybe y-you shouldn't drink anymore. We, uhm, we don't know what might happen, it might no-not be meant to effect vampires. If the healers are as good as you say, maybe, I-I should try so-ome. You should stop, we could get Bella, or Agatha or…" Hermione talked as she edged forward to put her hand on the Potion Master's shoulder and hopefully get him to stop. Snape whirled around and hissed at her, his eyes red and fangs extended.

"Are you insinuating that your methods are more perfected than mine? I doubt you are as experienced as me Miss Granger, now do be quiet." Snape snarled angrily and Hermione squeaked and backed off quickly, but not quickly enough to avoid the full body bind thrown at her. Hermione landed on the floor unable to move, and Harry could only watch.

"That's better, no more interferences now, hmm?" Snape smirked. "Not that you have a choice."

Snape raised an eyebrow before turning back to the potion. Sara stood by silently, she was accustomed to Snape's manner when he was in one of his experimental moods, she had had to be healed a couple of times when she had purposely baited him. Snape went back and dipped the cup back in, filling it to the brim, and bringing it to his lips. Sara watched as Snape's Adams apple bobbed up and down. In seconds the potion was gone, and in a few more Snape had another cupful at his mouth. The process was repeated five times and still Severus showed no sign of stopping. Sara wasn't worried though, she didn't see anything wrong, just a man enjoying his work, until Snape threw the cup down and bent over the cauldron to get better access to the liquid. This was wrong; Snape always was proper and never acted like this. Sara sneaked quietly to the door, but apparently not quietly enough.

"Petrificus Totalus!" Snape pointed his wand at Sara without even looking at her and stopped drinking long enough to say the spell. Sara fell down to the floor as well. This was not a good predicament.


End file.
